502 






./'\ ^-^^z y^"^^--^ ^''^y^.\/'\ ^'^^/^^^^\ V _ 




























f- ^ 

^^^ o 






. % / -^' 



^>> 



^^" 






























O 
O^ 


























'-^^0^ 









^^ 






.^^°«. 






^0 



.^" 
















* O^' -^ o;. 






.•^^ 



)v^ 






^0 






A^ 



A 



PUBLICATIONS 

OF THE 

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 



AMERICANA GERMANICA 

MON'OGRAPHS DEVOTED TO THE COMPARATIVE 
STUDY OF THE 

Literary, Linguistic and Otliar Cultural Relations 

OF 

Germany and America 



EDITOR 

MARION DEXTER LEARNED 

University of Pennsylvania 

{See List at the End of the Book) 









ERRATA. 




Page 17 


line 


10 


gespanntester 


not gepaukester. 


Page 29 


line 


30 


seven hundred and eighty-one 


not seven and eighty-one, 


Page 30 


line 


6 


have 


not leave. 


Page 39 


line 


33 


which 


not with. 


Page 45 


line 


14 


has 


not his. 


Page 103 


line 


20 


Leibbuch 


not Leibebuch. 


Page 119 


lines 


7-8 


unparteiische 


not undparteiische 


Page 120 


line 


33 


Dass 


not Das. 


Page 128 


line 


8 


aged 


not agent. 


Page 129 


line 


4 


give up all hope 


not give all hope. 


Page 134 


line 


18 


ce 


not CO. 


Page 139 


line 


7 


whose [sic] there is 


not whose there is. 


Page 146 


line 


5 


tres tres 


not tres tres. 


Page 150 


line 


14 


pleasure I embrace 


not pleasure embrace. 


Page 151 


line 


7 


civil 


not evil. 


Page 152 


line 


33 


pleased 


not leased. 


Page 154 


line 


30 


weisen 

Biography. 


not weihen. 


Page 172 


line 


3 


88a. James, Edmund J. 


belongs in line 5. 


Page 175 


line 


10 


148. Nothanker 


not Notdanker. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND GERMANY 



Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School 
of the University of Pennsylvania in partial fulfill- 
ment of the requirements for the Degree 
of Doctor of Philosophy. 



By 

BEATRICE MARGUERITE VICTORY 



Clmericana (Scrmanica 

Number 21. 



Publications of the 

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 

1915 






Copyright 191 5 

BY 

Beatrice Marguerite Victory 



■m 



TO MY PARENTS 



CONTENTS. 
Benjamin Franklin and Germany. 

Chapter I. Frederick the Great. 

a. Attitude toward England. 

b. Attitude toward the North American Colonies. 

Chapter II. Franklin's Diplomatic Career. 

d. Diplomatic Relations with Austria and Prussia. 

b. Three Visits to Paris. 

1. 1767. 

2. 1769. 

3. 1776. 

c. Emperor Joseph's Visit to Paris. 

d. Diplomatic Relations with Prussia and Austria. 

e. Attitude of Louis XVI toward England and the North 

American Colonies. 

Chapter III. Franklin's Visit to Germany. 

a. Evidences of His Visit. 

b. Franklin's References to Absence. 

Chapter IV. Franklin's Knowledge of Things German. 

a. At Home. 

b. Abroad. 

c. Knowledge of the German Language. 

d. Edict of the King of Prussia. 

Chapter V. Franklin's Reputation in Europe — Germany. 

a. In the Eighteenth Century. 

b. In the Nineteenth Century. 

c. In the Twentieth Century. 

Chapter VI. Franklin in German Poetry. 

Chapter VII. Franklin as Known to — 

a. Goethe. 

b. Schiller. 

c. Justus Moser. 

d. Herder (Johann Fried). 

(7) 



8 Contents 

Chapter VIII. Franklin in the German Novel. 

a. Charles Sealesfield. 

b. Proskow. 

c. Berthold Auerbach. 

d. ElisePolko. 

Chapter IX. Letters to Franklin from Germans. 

BiBLTOGRAPHY. 

Chapter X. Chronological List of Franklin's Works in German. 
Chapter XL Chronological Bibliography. 



PREFACE. 

If one examines the bibliography of Benjamin Franklin, it 
will seem almost impossible to conceive of any phase of the life 
or activities of the "many-sided" Doctor, which has not been ex- 
haustively treated. 

The following dissertation was suggested by Professor 
Marion Dexter Learned, of the University of Pennsylvania, who 
was kind enough to place in the author's hands photographic re- 
productions ^ of the correspondence of the American representa- 
tives, Carmichael, Arthur and William Lee and others, which 
were directed for the most part to Schulenburg, the Minister of 
War and State for Frederick the Great. These were most helpful 
in following Franklin's diplomatic career. 

Benjamin Franklin spent from June 15 to August 13, 1766, 
in Germany. The American Philosophical Society of Philadel- 
phia in the Collection of Franklin Papers possesses ample proof 
of this visit in several original letters. One addressed to Mrs. 
Franklin dated London, June 13, 1766, gives his intended plans 
thus: "Tomorrow I set out with my friend Mr. Pringle (now Sir 
John) on a journey to Pyrmont where he goes to drink the waters. 
I propose to leave him at Pyrmont and visit some of the principal 
cities nearest to it and call for him again when the time for our 
return draws nigh." Franklin visited Gottingen and Hanover. 
Of his visit to Hanover we possess but one proof — a Latin letter 
from a Dr. Hartmann of that city.- Of the journey to the Uni- 
versity of Gottingen and his associations with professors of that 
institution there is richer proof. Franklin himself intended to 
treat this trip in his Autobiography under headlines "Journey int(j 
Germany, 1766. Civilities received there. Gottingen observa- 
tions."^ Dr. Herbert P. Gallinger in his thesis entitled Relation 
of German Publicists to the American War of Independence 



^To be found in the Collection of the Emperor William Institution of 
German American Research at University of Pennsylvania. 
^ Mentioned by Sparks in his Franklin, Vol. VII, p. 226. 
'Franklin draft copy of Autobiography. Printed Smyth, Vol. I, p. 224. 

(9) 



I o Preface 

(1775-1783), Leipzig, 1900; Mr. L. Vicreck, in Americana Ger- 
manica (Vol. IV, No. 2) ; Mr. Joseph G. Rosengarten in his ad- 
(h-ess Cicrman Universities delivered on October 24, 1902, at the 
University of Pennsylvania, and luhnund J. James, The Nation, 
April 18, 1895, p. 296 f., give very fruit tul suggestions of 
iManklin's visit to Germany. 

The author spent one year in Germany endeavoring to en- 
large the tield of these suggestions. Original letters have been 
most carefully examined and a thorc^ugh investigation of Amer- 
ican material has been made. The author desires to express her 
sinccrest appreciation to Or. I. Minis Hays of the American 
Philosophical Society, who kindly placed at her disposal the 
valuable hVanklin Collection. Help was given by Professor J. 
W'iesner, of \'ienna, and by the Amerika-Institut in Berlin. 
To llerr Walter Gerlach the author is grateful for his research 
work at the University of Gottingen. 

Beatrice Marguerite Victory. M. A. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND GERMANY. 

CHAPTER I. 

Frederic the Great. 

(a) Attitude Toward England. 

Frederic the Great hated England most cordially and, we 
may say, most justly, for from the earliest days of his accession 
to the throne of Prussia, 1740, his uncle, George 11, had ever 
shown an animosity which he took but meagre, if any, pains to con- 
ceal. The real and only cause was an inherent jealousy and fear 
that this nephew might increase his small domain even by inches, 
to the detriment of the English ancestral continental centre, the 
Electorate of Hanover. 

With the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle, 1748, England and 
Spain, France and England, found their mutual conditions prac- 
tically the same as before those eight weary years of reciprocal 
grievances and leakages in the public treasuries. "To the balance 
of power, sustained by standing armies of a million of men, the 
statesmen of that day intrusted the preservation of the tranquility, 
and, ignorant of the might of principles to mould the relations 
of states, saw in Austria the certain ally of England, in France 
the natural ally of Prussia."^* 

In spite of the fact that George H, in the summer of 1745, 
during the second war of the Austrian Succession, still harbor- 
ing in the caucles of his heart the secret displeasure at the wrest- 
ing of Silesia from Austria by Frederic, turned to Maria Theresa 
and carried on friendly relations with the Catholic Power, at 
the same time offering subsidies to Mayence, Cologne, Bavaria 
and the Count Palatine to Joseph II, King of the Romans — in 
spite of all this, he had the audacity to expect the support of his 
kinsman for the furtherance of his plans. Thus playing his part 
diplomatically, in 1756, he formulated with Frederic the treaty 

^iJ^ George Bancroft, History of the United States of America (1884); 
Vol. II, p. 312. 

(H) 



12 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

of Westminster, hoping by this agreement of neutraHty to protect 
Hanover from the coalition of the European Powers. In this 
same year, the houses of Hapsburg and Capet, after nearly three 
hundred years of contention, joined hands to support the inter- 
ests of Catholicism and propagate the utter downfall of Prussia 
and, if possible, the ruin of Germany. Frederic, however, sur- 
prised and frustrated the hopes of these combined allies against 
him, by saving Prussia. All Europe stood aghast before this 
"Gustavus Adolphus", as the Protestant nations called him. In 
his terrible campaigns '"two hundred and sixty thousand men 
stood against seven hundred thousand, and had not conquered".^ 

\\^ith the accession of George III and the appointment, Octo- 
ber, 1 761, of Bute as minister in the place of Pitt, the staunch 
adherent and supporter of the Prussian king, any real or seeming 
alliance between the two Powers was at once broken off. Prussia 
found herself utterly abandoned. Among the English diplomats, 
Frederic knew that plans for peace were being made, but the ben- 
efits of such an armistice meant for his kingdom the assured loss 
of his Silesian territory. "How is it possible", such were the 
words addressed by Frederic to Pitt, "how can the English nation 
propose to make cessions to my enemies — that nation which has 
guaranteed my possessions by authentic acts known to the whole 
world?"'' 

Benjamin Franklin describes these wars on the continent in 
a letter to David Hall, dated London, April 8, 1759: 

"The Powers at war on the Continent have excited them- 
selves to the utmost this Winter, to be able to bring vast arniies 
into the field, and they are already in motion. If this King of 
Prussia can stand his Ground this Year, his Enemies will be tired 
of so costly a War. And he bids fair for it, for he takes the 
Field this Spring with as fine an Army as he had since the War 
began, and hitherto he has ver\' little burthen'd his own People 
for Supplies either of ]Money or ]Men, drawing both from his 
Enemies or Neighbors. But what the event will be God only 



* Ibid., p. 481. 
' Ibid., p. 53S. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 13 

knows. Three Monarchys the most powerful in Europe besides 
the Swedes, on his Back at once; No Magnamity (sic) but his 
own coukl think of bearing it; no Courage but his that would not 
sink under it, no any less Bravery, Skill and Activity than his 
that would equal to it. If he again should drub them all around, 
and at length obtain an honorable and advantageous peace, his 
Renown will far exceed that of all the Heroes in History."^ 

Again he writes concerning this same subject late in Sep- 
tember, 1 761, to his friend, William Strahan: "Call to mind 
your former fears for the King of Prussia, and remember my 
telling you that the man's abilities were more than equal to all 
the forces of his enemies, and that he would finally extricate 
himself and triumph. "''^ 

As late as 1789, he still felt a keen interest in all things that 
pertained to his Prussian Majesty and wrote on June 3rd of that 
year from Philadelphia, the following to Benjamin Vaughan : 
"I have not seen the King of Prussia's posthumous works ; what 
you mention makes me desirous to have them. Please to mention 
it to your brother William, and that I request him to add them 
to the books I have desired him to buy for me."^ 

Thus deserted and wilfully betrayed, since George had 
diplomatically ordered Sir William Yorke, minister at The 
Hague, to offer the Empress of Austria even Silesia to renew 
her friendly relationship with him, Erederic, nothing daunted, 
found alone his road to success and unfading glory, as Franklin 
had predicted. At every turn England flaunted her hatred in 
the very eyes of this irrestible warrior. Any means to break the 
iron tenacity of his indomitable will. Why hesitate at the sum 
of one hundred thousand pounds? Well could Frederic laugh 
to scorn his recognized enemy at the news of the rise of the North 
American Colonies. Perhaps George felt a little misgiving and a 
faint twinge of fear that the far-sighted and cunning Frederic 
might now see clearly the long desired method of mildly wreak- 



* Original letter in the Museum of Independence Hall. 
^Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin (1818), Vol. I, p. 251. 
' Collection of Hon. S. W. Pennypacker. Printed in Smyth's Benjamin 
Franklin, VqI. X, p. 209. 



14 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

ing vengeance for the past wrongs by dispatching well trained 
troops to the New World. Great must have been the astonish- 
ment of all England, that he took no active part in the rising 
controversy and only a seeming, passive interest. Passive it most 
assuredly was, but yet a friendly attitude, which asserted itself 
later, however, in a more tangible fomi. 

One of the leading motives of the policy of Frederic was 
to increase the trade and commerce of his beloved Prussia. This 
policy he hoped to perpetrate by eventually binding the ports of 
east Frisia closely and permanently with the markets of the 
North American Colonies. East Frisia first fell into the posses- 
sion of Pnissia in 1744. Through the position of this province 
on the North Sea and because of its not unimportant ports it 
seemed to assure the world commerce, for which the king so 
earnestly and ardently yearned. It was then with this point in 
view, that we find Frederic's energies directed toward the Amer- 
ican Colonies, but it was these colonies themselves that made the 
first venture into the fields of diplomacy, ^^'hat was the reason 
for this modest backwardness on the part of this persistently 
aggressive ruler, who with the exception of Joseph II of Austria, 
was then the only king in Germany? Burdened with years that 
rested heavily upon his drooping shoulders, longing for the 
staunch support of those faithful friends, whom the god of war 
had claimed as his booty, alone with the reflections of victories, 
that haunted him w'ith their bloody carnage, that strangled in 
the gaunt hand of death the breath of their lasting glory thus 
we find Frederic at the crucial moment, when the Colonies were 
just mustering those potent forces and stirring the embers, which 
were to burst forth in the flame of the American Revolution. 
As Bancroft says : "No one of the Powers of Europe is heartily 
his ally. Russia will soon leave for Austria, his great deeds 
become to him so many anxieties; his system meets with per- 
sistent and deadly enmity. He seeks rest ; and strong and un- 
avoidable antagonism allow his wasted strength no repose. He 
is childless and alone ; his nephew, who will be his successor 
neglects him. and follows other counsels : his own brother hopes 
and prays to hea\en that the king's days may not be prolonged. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 15 

Worn by unparelled labor and years he strikes against obstacles 
on all sides as he seeks to give a sure life to his kingdom; and 
prudence teaches him that he must still dare and sufifer and 
go on."^ 

In the North American Colonies themselves the exploits 
and surprising succession of victories of the great crusader of 
Protestantism were hailed with national rejoicing and thanks- 
giving by those rabid exponents of religious sentiment, the Puri- 
tans. In the Middle States, New York and Pennsylvania, the 
admiration for Frederic was no less markedly sincere. The 
Germans of Pennsylvania, who followed with keenest interest 
the military conquests of their beloved king "Fritz", saw in the 
victory of Rossbach the thwarting of their arch-enemy, the 
French, who had driven their fathers and their forefathers from 
their hereditary homes on the banks of the Rhine and in 
Swabia. Washington in a letter to Lafayette acknowledged 
the great honor of being so cordially esteemed by so renowned a 
statesman and warrior, as Frederic. Franklin took occasion to 
use the personality of the Prussian ruler to satirize the English 
and to show the interest of Frederic for the struggling Colonies. 
Green, in a letter to the Prussian Baron von Steuben, assured 
him of his hopes of his success in all campaigns since he intended 
to use the same military tactics, as those he had learned under 
the master of war, Frederic. In fact, the baron himself owed 
his ready acceptance and the American acquiescence to his sug- 
gestions in matter of warfare to the prestige gained from the 
honor accorded one who had been an adjutant in the Prussian 
army. Thomas Jefferson expressed the general opinion of the 
American Colonies when he wrote of the death of this king as 
an irreparable loss to the entire civilized world : "Still today in 
America they believe — so quickly a myth arises around popular 
figures — that Frederic demonstrated his respect for Washington 
by sending a sword of honor over to him : indeed the scientific 
magazines repeated in all good faith this fable, which it seems 
was founded on the fact that the Prussian smith of arms 
Theophilus Alte in Solingen sent to Washington a beautiful 

'Bancroft, History of the U. S. A.; Vol. V, p. 236. 



1 6 Bcnjainin Franklin aiid Gcrniany 

sword made hv himself with an inscription expressing his ad- 
miration. "^^' 

Frederic was awake to the significance of the uprising of 
England's Colonies, for he felt confident that the offspring of the 
mother country would prefer to see the work which they had 
centered in the upbuilding of their settlements in ruins, rather 
than witlulraw one iota from their determined stand of opposition 
against the bonds of a selfish and despotic ruler. In September, 
1774. he expressed himself in regard to the action of the Colonies 
as follows: "The more I reflect on the measures of the English 
government the more they appear to me arbitrary and despotic. 
That the court has provoked its colonies to withstand its meas- 
ures, nobody can doubt. It invents new taxes; it wishes by its 
own authority to impose them on its colonies in manifest breach 
of their privileges; the colonies do not refuse their former taxes 
and demand only in regard to new ones to be placed on the same 
footing with England ; but the government will not accord to 
them tlie right to tax themselves. This is the whole history of 
these disturbances."^^ 

Again in a letter to his minister. Count Maltzan, in London. 
he writes in December, 1775: *'Es erhellt immer mehr dass der 
Konig von England mit seinen Colonien hohes Spiel spielt und 
sich in diese Wirren zu tief eingelassen hat um siegreich daraus 
hervorzugehen. . . . Die grosse Frage ist immer ob die Colo- 
nien nicht Mittel finden werden, sich ganz vom Mutterlande zu 
trennen und eine freie Republik zu stiften. . . . Gewiss ist 
dies, fast ganz Europa nimmt Partei fiir die Colonien und ver- 
theidigt ihre Sache, wahrend die Sache des Hofes wcder Conner 
noch Forderer findet."*^ 

Yet Frederic was, at this time, too conservative to hazard 
anv loss to the kingdom for which he had labored so untiringlv, 
for tlie sake of coming like a knight errant to rescue the oppressed 



"F. Kapp. Frit'dcrich dcr Grosse und die T^creinigten Staaten von Ame- 
rika: S. 13. 

" Bancroft, History of U. S. A.; Vol. V. p. 237. 

" Pus Zt-italtcr Fncdcrichs dcs Grcsscn. Dr. \Vm. Oncken. Bd. 2, 
S. 838^39- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany ly 

children of England : "In a careful search through his cabinet 
papers, I have found no letter or part of a letter in which he 
allowed the interest of his kingdom to suffer from personal pique 
or dynastic influence. His cares are for the country which he 
rather serves than rules. He sees and exactly measures its weak- 
ness as well as its strength, and gathers everyone of its discon- 
nected parts under his wings. "^^ 

(b) His Attitude Toivard the North American Colonies. 

"Dem Befreiungskampfe der Amerikaner war von Frie- 
derich dem Grossen mit gepaukester Aufmerksamkeit gefolgt, 
aber ohne die leistete Regung solcher Empfindungen, wie sie von 
diesen bei ihm voraus gesetzt worden war. Allerdings leistete 
er den Amerikanern einen unschiitzbaren Dienst."^^ This service 
was indeed no small one. When in October, 1777, the German 
auxiliaries, hired by the English, began to make their way from 
Ansbach and Hesse, he forbade their passing through his realm 
and domains unless a certain toll per head was paid. In May, 
1776, a plan for a direct commerce was advanced by Silas Deane, 
the first agent sent by the American Congress, with Montessuy, 
the Prussian minister for commercial affairs. This request 
was followed by the permission for the exchange of American 
products through the ports of Brittany. Commerce, however, 
between the North American Colonies and Prussia was declined ; 
for Frederic felt that without a formidable fleet the results of 
such an action on the part of Prussia would be most uncertain. 
Just at this time the thoughts of the king were distracted from 
such foreign interests by the unwarranted claim of Austria to a 
contingent share in the inheritance of a large portion of Bavaria. 
Frederic, to ward off such a blow, turned to France. Through 
his minister he assured the French government that he would 
maintain neutrality and do his utmost to preserve peace, and 
Maurepas gave him a similar guarantee. 

As early as the first of October, Deane wrote from Paris to 
the Committee of Secret Correspondence, its members being 



"Bancroft, History of U. S. A.; Vol. V, p. 238. 

"* Das Zeitalter Friederichs des Grossen. W. Oncken. Vol. II, pp. 838-839. 



1 8 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee, Robert Morris and 
William Cooper, as follows : "Would yon have universal com- 
merce, commission some person to visit every kingdom on the 
continent that can hold any commerce with America. Among 
them by no means forget Prussia. Grain will be in demand in 
this kingdom and in the south of Europe." In the same letter 
he adds : "P. S. It is of importance, as I have mentioned in my 
former letters, to have some one deputed and empowered to treat 
with the king of Prussia. I am acquainted with his agent here, 
and have already through him received some queries and pro- 
posals respecting American commerce to which I am preparing a 
reply. . . . France and Spain are naturally our allies; the 
Italian States want our flour and some other articles; Prussia, 
ever pursuing her own interest, needs but be informed of some 
of the facts relative to America's growing commerce to favor 
us."^^ Again in a letter to Dumas he gives expression to this 
same thought, October 3, 1776: "Since my last in which I 
mentioned the King of Prussia, I have obtained a method of 
sounding that monarch's sentiments more directly through an- 
other channel, which voluntary offering I have accepted."^® In 
a letter to John Jay on the 3rd of December that same year, from 
Paris, he shows that the relations in commercial interests are 
still being urged : "I have had overtures from the King of 
Prussia in the commercial way and have a person of greater 
confidence to his court, with letters of introduction from his 
agent here with whom I am on the best of terms. "^^ 



'^^ Secret Journals of Congress (Library of Congress); Wharton Diplo- 
matic Correspondence. Vol. II, p. 154. 

"Ibid., p. 163. 

" Ibid., p. 213. 
Whether it was from mismanagement on the part of Arthur Lee, or 
from a change of policy by Frederick, there was no treaty until 1785. See 
Wharton, I ; p. 445 ff. 



CHAPTER II. 

Franklin's Diplomatic Career. 
The diplomacy of the American Revolution was dominated 
to the greatest extent by the all prevailing force of finance. 
Economy of finance meant recognition from the desired ally, 
France, and power over the oppressive enemy, England. With 
argumentations based on the principles of war and finance, the 
American diplomatists exerted every tangible method to ac- 
complish their ends, not only against the mother country, but to 
their advantage with the European countries, that were willing 
or unwilling to lend their ears. Franklin, for instance, was not 
only diplomatic agent in Paris, but he was also, in the negotiation 
of our loans from France and the disbursement of the funds thus 
obtained, a secretary of the treasury ; while in concerting allied 
campaigns, he was to some extent secretary of war, and in direct- 
ing our navy, in European waters to some extent secretary of 
the navy. Our own success at home and the persistent bravery in 
crises, as displayed in the siege of Boston, won the natural sup- 
port of the French nation, which grasped the importance of such 
a victory as Saratoga by raw recruits and a handful of unprac- 
ticed troops against the strength of the veteran army of Great 
Britain. The longed-for alliance with France was ratified in 
1778, and the support of this country was the fruit of that genius 
of diplomacy, the world-famed Franklin, the head of the legation 
at Paris, and by whom so many of the intricate and difficult 
political affairs of the United Colonies were so tactfully and suc- 
cessfully managed. It was this venerable statesman, who showed 
the importance of the unbreakable spirit of independence, when 
he replied to an old friend, Hartley, who warned him of the 
danger, to which he would be perhaps exposed, in a foreign land : 
'T thank you for your kind caution, but having nearly finished a 
long life, I set but little value on what remains of it. Like a 
draper, when one chaffers with him for a remnant, I am ready 
to say, 'As it is only the fag end, I will not differ with you about 
it; take it for what you please.' Perhaps the best use such an old 

(19) 



20 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

fellow can be put to is to make a martyr of him." This same 
idea of the humble value of his services to his country, he ex- 
pressed, when he was chosen as commissioner to France .in his 
se\entieth year, September 27, 1776, as he turned to Dr. Rush, 
who sat near him in the Assembly : "I am old and good for noth- 
ing-; but as the storekeepers say of their remnants of cloth, I am 
hut a fag end, and you may have me for what 3^ou propose to 
give." Appointments v^'cre given at the same time to Silas Deane 
and Arthur Lee, both of whom were absent in Europe, to assist 
Dr. Franklin with their joint services in the cause of freedom, in 
the official capacity of recognized agents of the North American 
Colonies abroad. 

The diplomatic activity of Franklin abroad opened his life 
to the closest scrutiny of those, who were ever watchful to find 
flaws in the calibre of his ability, which had won for him this 
post of honor. We can repudiate the accusation made against 
him, that he never lost an opportunity to grow rich on public 
money and furthered the appointment of his nephew. ^Ir. Wil- 
liams, by quoting his letter to W'illiam Lee in regard to this 
appointment : ''Your proposition about appointing agents in the 
ports shall be laid before the commissioners when they meet. Li 
the meantime I can only say that as to my nephew, Mr." Williams, 
though I have from long knowledge and experience of him a 
high opinion of his abilities, activity and integrity, I will have no 
hand in his appointment or in approving it. not being desirous of 
his being in any way concerned in that business. "^^ 

Again he can be defended against the slightest fraudulent 
intentions, by this fact, that he sent a personal account of his 
expenditures to Congress. November 29. 1788. after his arrival 
in Philadelphia : "In pursuance of this resolution, and as soon 
as ]\.Ir. Barclay was at leisure from more pressing business, I 
rendered to him all my accounts, which he examined and stated 
methodically. By his statement he found a balance due me on the 
4 of IMay 1785. of 7533 livres nineteen sols 3 den., which by 



^^ North American Rcviciv, April, 1830. (Printed in Sparks' Benjamin 
Franklin, Yo\. Ill, p. 30.) 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 21 

mistake I had overcharged — about three pence halfpenny 
sterling."^^ 

If we cannot exactly agree with the high opinion of JVIatthew 
Arnold, who considers Franklin "a man who was the very in- 
carnation of sanity and clear sense, a man the most remarkable, 
it seems to me, whom America has produced", still we can accord 
to him the distinction of the possession of the greatest admin- 
istrative genius of the time, when such a man of judicial powers 
was so sorely needed. He never swerved in the great cause of 
independence, even at the cost of war, which was in every respect 
opposed to his peace-loving nature. 

(a) His Diplomatic Correspondence. 

His diplomatic correspondence may not be as entertaining 
as that of Adams from Holland, or the Spanish letters of Jay, 
which he enlivened with pithy bits of European gossip, yet those 
of Dr. Franklin are unique in clearness of style, brevity, and all 
the essentials for the accomplishment of their varied purposes. 
In short, they are just as typical and characteristic of the many- 
sided and versatile personality, as is the Autobiography or his 
more personal letters. They teem with a wholesome wit, a healthy 
wisdom, coupled with the knack of saying just the tactful thing 
at the critical moment. He knew to the most exact fraction the 
capacity of the heavy sack of diplomatic nuts and filled it so that 
it could stand upright, after he had carefully balanced it, and 
better still he could crack the nuts within and share them with 
his countrymen most generously. He always hit the nail upon 
the head, and if the hammer slipped and hit his fingers, he hunted 
some timely maxim and kept his own counsel. 

The Continental Assembly could not have shown sounder 
judgment than the selection of such a citizen as Franklin for such 
an important foreign post. For forty years he had been busied 
in Pennsylvania politics. No man was better acquainted with 
the conditions of not only this state, but of practically all the 
habitable sections of the other states. In the position of Post- 



" Sparks, III ; p. 508. 



22 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

master General, he had visited these districts, traversing a dis- 
tance of six thousand miles, and his trained eye had readily 
grasped all the essential details. In the French struggle against 
the forces of England, he had arranged for the transportation of 
troops by securing the services of the much needed wagons of the 
Pennsylvania farmers. Was his brain ever free from some new 
innovation for the betterment of the Colonies? The results of 
his well devised schemes are widely known, to the present day 
throughout the world. Not only had the State of Pennsylvania 
felt the benefits of his services, but for a number of years he had 
been the spokesman of Continental afifairs in the mother country, 
as representative of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts 
and Georgia. Experience had prepared and reared him in all the 
intricate arts of efficiency for his position as the American com- 
missioner at the court of France. One of the characteristics, 
which assured his unfailing success, was, as De Witt expresses it, 
"he could see in the future and live in the present".-'' 

(b) Franklins Visits to Paris. 

I. First Visit, 1767. 

Franklin had visited Paris in 1767 and again in 1769, as 
an honored guest, and he was welcomed back in 1776, with a 
cordiality which proved his growing and permanent popularity. 
Europe was the target for the guns of American diplomatists. 
From the coffers of these Powers must come the gold for cariying 
on the struggle at home. Here the means must be found for 
supplying the American troops. On this foreign soil were the 
opportunities for the display of the powers of capable diplomat- 
ists. We find American privateers in the ports of Holland, 
France and Spain, being cargoed for services at home; here the 
naval tactics were planned, before their coming in touch with 
Continental conditions. When we carefully examine the political 
letters of Franklin, we cannot fail to be impressed by the great 
responsibility which rested upon his shoulders. The loans to the 
Colonies were intrusted entirely to his hands, in fact they were 



De Witt, Jefferson; p. 59. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 23 

paid to him alone. It was to him that Congress had to turn for 
the payment of the national debts, contracted abroad. He was 
recognized as the sole agent in Paris, and even although bills were 
at times directed to Adams, Jay, or Laurens, still to Franklin the 
ultimate appeal had to be made. His labors seem too intricate 
for one man to manage alone, but his accounts have proved him 
to be the master of his duties and tasks. His only secretary, at 
this time, was his grandson, who might relieve him in copying 
from drafts, many of which are preserved today, but could not, 
of course, draft a single official document, li he had been sur- 
rounded tSy congenial colleagues, his heavy burdens might have 
been greatly lightened, but he was handicapped by assistants, who 
were jealous, selfish and suspicious and only too ready to be a 
hindrance to his plans. France had warranted confidence in the 
honesty and integrity of Franklin and no matter who his col- 
leagues may have been, he was the one personality whose influence 
and persuasion resulted in the friendly alliance with her. This 
high estimate of Franklin we can judge from two letters, written 
from the Count de Vergennes, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the 
French Minister at Philadelphia : "As to Dr. Franklin, his 
conduct leaves Congress nothing to desire. It is as zealous and 
patriotic as it is wise and circumspect." Again on February 15, 
1781, "If you are questioned respecting the opinion of Dr. Frank- 
lin, you may without hesitation say, that we esteem him as much 
on account of his patriotism as the wisdom of his conduct; and 
it has been owing in a great part to this cause, and the confidence 
we put in the veracity of Dr. Franklin, that we have determined 
to relieve the pecuniary embarrassment in which he has been 
placed by Congress." 

Of the two visits of Franklin to Paris, 1767 and 1769, there 
seems to be a certain reticence in his letters of this time. We 
do know that the companion of these journeys was the "steady 
and good friend Sir John Pringle", who also had been his fellow- 
traveller on the visit to the Netherlands and Germany in the 
summer of 1766. The only letter written, while he was in France 
1767, is that in which he describes his experiences to his clever 
friend, Miss Stevenson. His electrical experiments had already 



24 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

been the herald of his entree into France, where they had been 
carefully investigated by the abbes Nollet and D'Alibard. Yet 
it is. not exactly true to ascribe the cordial welcome which the 
scientist received as entirely due to his electrical innovations. 
The far-sighted Durand, no doubt, clearly saw the diplomacy of 
favoring the agent of the Colonies in England. Franklin felt 
this underlying motive and was successful in visiting Paris, with- 
out the British government being cognizant of his absence. 
Durand's visits to him, at this time, opened up the way for his 
acceptance into the social whirl of the metropolis. Franklin 
wisely saw the reason for his popularity, as he expresses it: 'T 
fancy that intriguing nation would like very well on occasion to 
blow up the coals between Britain and her colonies; but I hope 
we shall give them no opportunity." It is to the political writings 
of Franklin, that he owed more than anything else, the approval 
of a nation, which at this time was so permeated by the influence 
of such economists as Quesnay and the Marquis de Mirabeau, the 
masters with their disciples, M. Dupont de Nemours, the life- 
long friend of Franklin, and the Abbe Baudeau. The French 
editor of Franklin's works, James Barbeu Dubourg, was also 
an active force among these men. We have the positive proof 
of this visit to France in a letter to his son, in which he carefully 
admonishes him to maintain the utmost secrecy on the matter. 
From London dated October 9, 1767, he writes to Mrs. Deborah 
Franklin, "My dear Child, I returned yesterday Evening from 
Paris safe and well, having had an exceeding pleasant Journey, 
and quite recovered my health." He returned to London on 
October ist, and Dupont informed him shortly after of the publi- 
cation of some of his writings on the conditions in the Colonies, 
which he had taken the liberty of presenting thus to the public in 
translation. (M. Dubourg had been the recipient of these Frank- 
lin papers and had passed them on their way to Dupont. 

2. Franklin's Second Visit, 1769. 

In July, 1769, Franklin visited Paris again. The only 
mention of this journey is a letter addressed to Samuel Cooper, 
of Boston: "I have just returned from France, where I find our 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 25 

dispute much attended to, several of our pamphlets being trans- 
lated and printed there, among others my Examination and the 
Farmers' Letters, with two of my pieces annexed, of which last 
I send you a copy. In short all Europe, except Britain, appears to 
be on our side." From subsequent correspondence we know, that 
Franklin arranged for an official French translation of his works 
with Dubourg. Franklin was again in London by September ist. 

3. Franklin's Third Visit to Paris. 

Franklin left Philadelphia on October 26, 1776. He arrived 
on the French shore on November 29th. The Reprisal, under 
Captain Wilkes, after carrying ofif two prizes, landed Franklin 
with his two grandsons at Auray on December 3rd. They pro- 
ceeded by post to Nantes, where they arrived on the 7th, then 
reaching Paris on the 21st. Perhaps some of the delay was 
due to Franklin's condition. "Being poorly nourished", as he 
says on the Reprisal: "I was very weak on my arrival." 

He took up his abode at the Hotel d'Hambourg, in the Rue 
de rUniversite and remained there several weeks, removing then 
to the luxurious hotel of Monsieur Ray de Chaumont in the 
suburb of Passy. The proprietor refused any rent for Franklin's 
apartments, until the independence of the American Colonies was 
established, and being a true politician in every sense of the word, 
Franklin readily accepted this most generous offer and we find 
him maintaining his establishment, according to Mr. Adams, in 
a most extravagant manner. To be sure, he kept servants in 
sufficient number to entertain any guests who felt inclined to 
enjoy his kind hospitality, and with full rights of an American 
ambassador rode to the city in a carriage drawn by his own horses ; 
but the wide display of unnecessary extravagant luxury can not 
be proved. 

When his arrival was known throughout Europe, his numer- 
ous friends began to welcome him back to the Old World, and one 
of the first was the German naturalist and physician at the court 
of Vienna, Jan Ingen Housz, who assured Franklin that he hoped 
he had come to re-establish the amicable feeling between the 
mother country and her colonies. 



\ 



26 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

(c) Joseph II's Visit to Paris. 

While at the French court, at this time, there was war be- 
tween the schools of music, led by Gliick and Piccini, the brother 
of Marie Antoinette, Emperor Joseph II visited Paris. He ex- 
pressed his keen desire to see Franklin and though the Abbe 
Niccoli, the representative of the Duke of Tuscany, did his utmost 
to bring about a meeting of these men, fate intervened. The abbe 
sent an invitation to Franklin to take a cup of chocolate on Wed- 
nesday, May 28th. Franklin was of the opinion that this would 
give to a meeting with the Emperor the appearance of pure acci- 
dent. Turgot was present with Franklin, who writes of the affair 
as follows : "The Emperor did not appear, and the Abbe since 
tells me that the number of other persons who occasionally visited 
him that morning, of which the Emperor was informed prevented 
his coming; that at twelve, understanding they were gone, he 
came but I was gone also." A meeting of Emperor Joseph and 
Franklin is recorded most interestingly in a book entitled Joseph 
11^ Emperor of Germany, and Benjamin Franklin. Joseph and 
Benjamin. A Conversation Translated from a French Manu- 
script. London, MDCCLXXXVII, an account of which runs 
thus. 

"The interview between the Emperor of Germany and his 
American Excellency was kept a secret ; and that as well as what 
passed at the interview was unknown even to the numerous spies 
about Paris and Versailles, and except for the accident which dis- 
covered all, it might perhaps not have been known for some years, 
that these two remarkable men ever saw each other." The atti- 
tude of the author, whoever he may be, is thoroughly English, 
tinged with the strongest prejudice against France, "which always 
has had and always will have designs upon the liberty or im- 
portance of other nations". "During the residence of the great 
American negotiator, Benjamin Franklin, at Paris, he received 
a letter written by the Imperial Joseph, who was then also in that 
capitol, under an assumed name. The letter was expressive of 
that high esteem, which great abilities gain even from the rulers 
of nations, and intimated the intention of the royal stranger, who 
had long wished to have personal acquaintance with his American 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 27 

Excellency ; and who intended to wait upon him the next day, not 
as Emperor, but as a private person, desirous of acquiring knowl- 
edge by the conversation of a man, who had distinguished himself 
as a philosopher and politician, by sharing in the dangers of a con- 
test, which had added the liberty to his country." . . . 

"The old philosopher, who had long been accus- 
tomed to the company of the great, and who had in every sense 
of the word, except he was not rich, become one of that order 
himself, embraced with more than ordinary pleasure the oppor- 
tunity of conversing with such a man whose abilities and unre- 
mitting attention to the promotion of human happiness had long 
attracted his esteem. The urbanity which the political hero of 
the Western world, had acquired during a long life, added to that 
great sense of propriety, for which he is eminently distinguished, 
determined him to return an answer in person. He waited upon 
the illustrious stranger at his hotel immediately. It was agreed 
that they should enjoy each other's company for one day at a 
small retired spot a few miles distant from Paris, where the old 
philosopher used to rest himself from the fatigues that accom- 
pany a political life." . . . "On the following Saturday they 
were to have their interview. Scarcely had the venerable old man 
arrived from Paris, when his Imperial Visitor alighted from a 
post-chaise at the gate. The Imperial Joseph, forgetting the ideal 
distinctions of rank, threw his arms around the old man and 
embraced him with a cordiality and sincerity that is seldom 
manifested or felt by princes. 

"The two walked out into a small garden, which, though not 
elegant, was sequestered and agreeable; and nature blessed this 
extraordinary confidence with her most delightful day. Here 
did these illustrious characters meet to discuss their opinions and 
exchange their sentiments. They proceeded to philosophize upon 
human conditions." One idea discussed runs as follows : 

"The King led the conversation by this remark — Tf I were 
not Emperor of Germany, I should rejoyce in being an Emperor 
of America.' He then continued with a subject of French aggres- 
siveness and the need of state funds which led Franklin to reply : 
'Your subjects, the Germans, tenacious as they are of customs, 



),\ 



28 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

are more easy to reform than Americans. Your people have 
learned the habit of obedience, which will overcome prejudice; 
but to a lawless and ungovernable disposition the Americans add 
prejudices peculiar to themselves; and if there was a man who 
could benefit his country by good code of laws, the Americans 
would not adopt them!' " This conversation was to be repeated 
on the third day, but no evidence of it is given. 

The author satisfies our curiosity as to the means which dis- 
close this conversation with this explanation : "All that at present 
can be said on this subject is that Accident, but not dishonorable, 
not unfair means, has brought this important conversation before 
the eyes of the public." 

Franklin in reality, highly esteemed the Emperor Joseph, if 
we can judge from a letter dated Passy, April 29, 1785, to Jan 
Ingen Housz : "Your account of the Emperor's condescending 
conversation with you concerning me, is pleasing. I respect very 
much the character of that, Monarch, and think this if I were one 
of his Subjects, he would find me a good one."-^ 

(d) Diplomatic Relations With Austria and Prussia. 
I. Austria. 

Stating briefly the mutual feelings of Austria and the Ameri- 
can colonies we can say, that "Prince Kaunitz saw in the close 
and intimate friendship between Franklin and Ingen Housz (the 
Court Physician of Vienna) a means to perpetrate a treaty at 
some future time between their two representative powers. And 
there can be no doubt that such a result was due to this inti- 
macy. ^'^ 

The attitude of the Colonies can be judged from the follow- 
ing letter taken from an unsigned draft copy: 

"The United States of America to all to whom these present 
shall come send Greeting. Whereas his most Christian Majesty our 
great and beloved friend and ally hath informed us by his minis- 



^ American Philosophical Society (Franklin Papers). 
^ Die Bczichungen Osterreichs sii den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, 
H. Schlitter; pp. 65-66. 



/ 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 29 

ter plenipotentiary whom he hath appointed to reside near us that 
their Imperial Majesties the Empress of Russia and the Emperor 
of Germany actuated by sentiments of humanity and a desire to 
put a stop to the calamities of War have offered their mediation 
to the belligerent powers in order to promote peace. Now know 
ye we desirous as far as depends upon us to put a stop to the 
effusions of blood and convince all the powers of Europe that we 
wish for nothing more ardently than to terminate the war by a 
safe and honourable peace relying on the justice of our cause and 
persuaded of the wisdom and equity of their imperial Majesties 
who ever have so generously interposed their good offices for pro- 
moting so salutary a measure have constituted and appointed 
and by these present do constitute and appoint . . . the Honble. 
John Adams late delegate in Congress from the state of Massa- 
chusetts, the Honble Benjamin Franklin our minister at the Court 
of France, the Honble John Jay late president of Congress and 
now our minister at the Court of Madrid, the Honble. Henry 
Laurens formerly president of Congress and commissioner & 
sent as our agent to the United provinces of the Netherlands and 
the Honble. Thomas Jefferson governor of the commonwealth 
of Virginia our Minister plenipotentiary giving and granting to 
them or such of them as shall assemble or in case of death, ab- 
sence, indisposition or other impediment of the others to any one 
of them full power and authority in our name and on our behalf, 
in concurrence with his most Christian Majesty to accept in due 
form the mediation of their Imperial Majesties, the Empress of 
Russia and the Emperor of Germany. In testimony whereof we 
have caused these present to be signed by our president and 
sealed with his seal. Done at Philadelphia, this fifteenth day of 
June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven and eighty one 
and in the fifth year of our Independence. By the United States 
in Congress assembled. "^^ 

Benjamin Franklin in a letter to Thomas Mifflin dated Passy, 
December 25, 1783, gives his intentions to take official action. 
The letter reads thus : 



Papers of Continental Congress, Vol. I, p. 345. 



30 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

"I shall immediately proceed, in pursuance of the first In- 
structions, to take the proper steps for acquainting his Imperial 
Majesty of Germany with the Disposition of Congress, having 
some reason to believe the Overture may be acceptable. His Min- 
ister here is of late extremely civil to me, and we are on very 
good terms. I leave likewise an Intimate Friend at that Court."-* 
Commissioners for the United States of America to promote 
peace between the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Ger- 
many were appointed by Congress officially thus : 

"The United States of America to all to whom these present 
shall come send Greeting. Whereas his most Christian Majesty 
our great and beloved friend and ally, hath informed us by his 
minister plenipotentiaiy whom he hath appointed to reside near 
us that their imperial Majesties, the Empress of Russia and the 
Emperor of Germany actuated by sentiments of humanity and a 
desire to put a stop to the calamities of War have offered their 
mediation to the belligerent powers in order to promote peace. 
Commissioners Appointed. 
John Adams, 
Hon. Benjamin Franklin, 
John Jay, 
Henry Laurens, 
Thomas Jefferson. 
Giving and granting to them or any one of them full power 
to accept the mediation of the aforesaid powers. 

June 15, i78i."2^ 

Orders to negotiate a treaty read thus : 

"By the United States in Congress Assembled. 

"October 29th, 1783. 

"To the ministers plenipotentiaiy of the United States of 
America at the Court of Versailles empowered to negotiate a 
peace to any one or more of them. 

"First. You are instructed and authorized to announce to 



" Library of Congress. Smyth, Vol. IX, p. 67. 
"Library of Congress. 



<x' 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 31 

his Imperial Majest}^ the Emperor of Germany or his Ministers 
the high sense which the United States in Congress Assembled 
entertain of his exalted character and eminent virtues and their 
earnest desire to cultivate his friendship and to enter into a 
Treaty of Amity and Commerce for the mutual advantage of the 
Subjects of his Imperial Majesty and the Citizens of the United 
States."2G 

2. Prussia. 

It was William Carmichael who made a visit to Berlin in 
order to arouse the interest of the Prussian Minister Schulenburg 
in the cause of the American Colonies. His journey was not at 
this time an official one, but the following letter of recommenda- 
tion from Montessuy shows the encouragement which that gov- 
ernment promised Carmichael. 

The following letters have been copied by the author from 
official photographs of the originals in the Prussian State Archives 
in Berlin, through the kindness of Professor Learned : 

Montessuy, the Prussian Minister at Paris, wrote to Schulen- 
burg, the minister at the Prussian capitol at Berlin, on the loth 
of October, 1776: "Je prends La Liberte de vous adresser Mr. 
William Carmichael du Maryland, qui se trouvant icy avec Le 
Depute des Colonies Anglaises s'est decide lui Les demands qui 
je Lui ai gaittu et a ma sollicitation a se rendu de Votre Excel- 
lence — Je desire beaucoup qu'il puisse, etablir quelques Branches 
d' Commerce de La Prusse." Already, as early as the 29th of 
July that same year, this agent had addressed a letter to his 
Majesty : "Les agens des Colonies Anglaises, qui sont depuis peu 
ici, m'ont fait demander une quantite assez considerable de Muni- 
tion de guerre telles, que fusils Poudre et Canons, sans cesse 
occupe de procurer a Vos fitats, Sire un debouche advantageux 
du Product de ses Manufactures je serais flatte, d'en pouvoir tirer 
ces objets si cela ne contrarie point les vues de V. M. J' attendrai 
done les ordres, qu'elle est suppliee de me faire passer a ces sujets 
— Ne serait-il pas possible, par suite de cette operation, de faire 

'" Wharton Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. V, p. 545. (Original letter 
signed by C^as. Thomson.) 



32 Benjaiiiin Franklin and Germany 

iin traite de commerce entre les siijets de V. M. et les Colonies 
Anglaises de I'Amerique, dont la balance ne pourrait etre qu'en 
faveur de Vos Etats, qu'en tireraient, un double avantage par 
un debouche considerable des Matieres premieres et un augmenta- 
tion de Marine." Thus we see that this minister personally 
favored the propositions which were offered by Mr. Car- 
michael, but the Baron Schulenburg was personally a little scep- 
tical of this enthusiastic presentation of the matter and we find 
this admonition in a letter addressed to Montessuy, on the i6th 
of October: "En attendant les reponses detailles des Agens des 
dites Colonies je vous conseille serieusement. Monsieur, d'aller 
bride en main, et de prendre toutes les precautions possibles, pour 
ne vous compromettre en aucune fagon, ou qu'il est absolument 
necessaire de sonder le terrain avant que de s'engager a la moin- 
dre chose.'' The arrival of the American envoy in Berlin caused 
much inquiry on the matter of his reception on the part of the 
representative of the Prussian court. The king received the fol- 
lowing from his minister: "Si a I'arriver du Sr. Carmichael je 
dois entrer avec lui et en quelle qualite je dois le recevoir?" Fur- 
ther he says in a letter to the King October 21, 1776: "Comme 
le dit Carmichael pent arriver tons les jours, et que sa qualite 
d'Agent muni d'une Patente du Depute general des Colonies An- 
glaises en Amerique, pourrait mettre de I'embarras a cette nego- 
ciation et meme ne pent convenir aux intentions de Votre Majeste, 
il serait sans doute plus convenable de ne recevoir le dit Car- 
michael qu'en qualite de simple ne^ociant." On the margin of 
this letter is the response of Frederic: "Bene mais cela ne durera 
pas parceque les Anglais ont battu Les Colonies." Again the 
King treats this matter of commerce between Prussia and the 
American Colonies, in a letter of the 2nd of December, in which 
he emphasizes the impossibility of a treaty: "quelques favor- 
ables, que paroissent les propositions & les idees de commerce du 
Sr. Carmichael. on faut cependant rien precipiter avec lui. Les 
realiser par un traite formel de commerce c'est chose impossible ; 
& un commerce direct a etablir avec sa patrie Me paroit sujet 
egalement a mille difficultes." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 33 

William Carmichael addressed the Minister Schulenburg in 
the following letter: 

"Havre, 19th January, 1777. 

". . . Your excellency will no doubt be surprised at not 
sooner hearing from me after my return to France, the truth is, 
that I wished to be able to give you some satisfaction on the sub- 
ject I had the honor of conversing with you on at Berlin and at 
the same time to give you the real state of our Situation in Amer- 
ica. The Arrival of Mr. Franklin at Paris, almost at the instant 
of my return to that City with the multiplicity of affairs in which, 
we were consequently involved prevented me from receiving such 
a State of our prices and our Shipping for Exportation, and 
would put it in my power to tell you whether or not we could 
comply with the terms proposed by Mr. Magusch. 

"Other arrivals with the opinion of the most Intelligent of 
our Merchts. together with our inability of gaining admission on 
easy terms with Ports fixed on, unless we would precisely assure 
a full supply of that Nation, now oblige me to my great regret 
to tell your Excellency, that I see no other method of your Ad- 
ministration supplying itself, than by adopting the mode I had 
the honor to recommend to Monsieur Magusch, which is to send 
Ships with Cargoes of your Manufactures to purchase & import 
it themselves. Our Sailors, in the first place are engaged in 
Privateering or in the Sei'vice of the Public, to which they are 
excited by the prodigious Captures made on the English. The 
Public by these had paid in the middle of last October, the whole 
Expense of Equipping & Insuring our marine, and Individuals 
had amassed large fortunes. In the next place, your Excellency 
will please to observe that the whole of our Tobacco & great 
part of our rice trade was carried on by British Ships and British 
Sailors. The Southern Colonies attended very little to other 
Commerce, than that in the West Indies. When they saw our 
Intercourse with Britain, heard we had to look out for 6 or eight 
hundred ships to Export our Produce & to search employment 
for the same number. This their transportation service has done 
effectually for their subjects, while it impoverishes the State. 
In this respect England shows superior wisdom, for it is lavish 



34 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

of blood and treasure to retain while with open arms we court 
the rest of Europe, but your nation particularly to accept the 
riches derived from our commerce. The articles most necessary 
for America (woolens & Linnens) your countries manufacture. 
The demand being very great with us. The price for these is 
enormous & having little opportunity of exportation our produce 
sells for little or nothing. By our last advices Tobacco was at 
7 & 9 shillings sterling per ct. & our other produce proportionally 
low. Without appearing to cut at all in the matter. Adminis- 
tration must employ some of your richest merchts. at first to sup- 
ply it. The advantages they will gain will excite others. And as 
a direct Commerce will commence from Emden the reputation of 
that Port once established & the channel of trade fixed there of 
course it will be the mart of Germany for our whole exports. 
Would we meet with encouragement from his Majesty, your Ex- 
cellency will readily see, that the trade of Hambourgh may be 
so molested, as to make its Merchants go to Emden, for similar 
reasons to those which the Merchants of Bruges, Antwerp & 
Ostend to repair to Amsterdam & Rotterdam. As to the State 
of our Public affairs, the campaign is like to end more favorable 
for us. than we imagined at the moment we declared our inde- 
pendence. And I can assure Your Excellency that Great Britain 
has done us more harm by her Gazette & Embassadors, than by 
her fleets and Armies : for while British Administration can per- 
suade Europe, that our Subjugation is certain that persuasion 
disables us from making such effective resistance as we other- 
wise should do, however the activity of our Merchants & the 
adventurous boldness of our Privateers enable us to continue our 
operations thro' the winter, and we shall open the campaign now 
with fairer prospects than we have ever hitherto had. For not 
really meaning from the first what our Enemies have charged us 
with & since obliged us to declare Independence our operations 
even for defence were delayed by the Timidity of some & the 
prejudices of others. These are all removed since we have fully 
discovered the rooted obstinacy of the British administration & 
the passive tameness of the Nation. Each of whom we now 
regard with that kind of Animosity as will eternally keep alive 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 35 

the flame of war untill we are separated forever. I beg leave to 
assure Your Excellency that this very general sketch of our pres- 
ent situation & disposition is founded on a detail of facts and 
correspondence, which more than justify all I have said. I beg 
leave to repeat what I had to say to your Excellency at Berlin 
that as it is my duty to promote a commercial Intercourse be- 
tween the Nations of Europe & the United States, so it will be 
my particular pleasure & glory to have done it with his Majesty's 
dominion; and in this respect if I can be of any service, I shall 
receive your Excellency's command with all respect & pleasure. 
I have the honor to be 

"Your Excellency's most obedient humble sert. 

"Wm. Carmichael. 

"Should I have the honor to hear from Your Excellency it 
will be made under cover to . . ." 

The German translation of this was sent by Magusch and 
forwarded to the king by Schulenburg.^'^ 

In response to a letter from the Prussian minister regard- 
ing an ambassador from the American Colonies we read : 

"Paris, 19th of April, 1777. 
"Sir: 

"We received the Letter which you did us the honor to write 
us the 15th ult. and should earlier have replied particularly 
thereto, but from the Daily expectation we had of receiving 
Orders from Congress of the United States on this important 
Subject. We have now their commands to inform his Prussian 
Majesty's Ambassador here, that they propose to send a minister 
to your respected Court with all Commercial Expedition, prop- 
erly empowered to treat upon Affairs of Importance; and that 
we are in the meantime instructed and authorized by Congress 
to solicit the Friendship of your Court, to request that it would 
afford no Aid to their Enemies, but use its good Offices to pre- 
vent the landing of Troops by other Powers to be transported to 
America for their destruction, and to offer the free commerce 



" Photographs of original letter. 



36 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

of the United States to the Siihjects of Prussia. . . . We have 
taken the earhest Opportunity of obeying" those commands. But 
considering- the great importance of establishing a free Com- 
merce, between the two Countries as soon as possible, and con- 
fident that cver\- Objection may be obviated and the wished for 
intercourse opened and established on the most certain & bene- 
ficial Grounds to promote the Tuterest of both Countries. We 
projx^se that one of us should wait on your Excellency, as soon 
as conveniently may be done to explain reasonably the situation 
of America, the Nature. Extent & Importance of its Commerce, 
anil the method by which it may be carried on with Prussia to 
nuitual advantage. 

"In the proposed interview we are contident. the Dit^iculties 
mentioned by your Excellency may be surmounted and a very 
considerable Part of American Commerce be turned to Prussia 
by measures neither Dangerous nor Expensive. With great Re- 
si>ect we have the honor to be 
"Your Excellency's 
^lost obedient 
&' most humble Servants. 
"B. Fraxklix. 
"Silas Deane, 
"Arthur Lee. 

"^Ministers Plenipotentiary from the Congress 
of the United States of America."-^ 

In Professor Marion Dexter Leamed's Guide to the Manu- 
scrif^t Materials Relating to Ameriean History in the German 
State Archives, Washington, iqij, six important references to 
Franklin are found. 

I. Prussian Arehives. Berlin (^p. 30). 

1. Plein Pouvoir, given to Adams. Franklin and Jeti'erson. 
to effect the treaty, signed by Thomas Mifflin and Chas. Thom- 
son. Sec. ]\Iay 12, 17S4 (p. 31 V 

2. Thulemeier to the king, relating to declaring the port of 
Emden or Stettin free, with a copy of the communication of 

* Library of Consress, 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 37 

Adams, Franklin and Jefferson, requesting free ports, dated 
Passy, January, 1785 (2 pp.). Addressed to Thulemeier at the 
Hague. The Hague, February 11, 1785 (p. 32). 

3. Thulemeier to the king on Franklin's signing of the treaty 
and on ratification by Congress, enclosing a copy of the English 
translation of the Plein Pouvoir, etc. 

4. Bavarian Archives, Munich, 5027. Reference made to 
Franklin's return from Paris to America, August i, 1783. 

5. Prussian Archives, Breslau, Rep. 199, C.-O. (Journal 
(ibcr engangene Cabinets Ordres), No. 4, 1778- 1783. Fol. 366 
refers to Franklin in Paris and the commercial relations between 
Prussia and America. 

6. Kdniylich-Sachsisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, in Dresden, 
2750 Com. XXXVa, Bl. 47, gives Mirabeau's eulogy on Frank- 
lin's death. 

"Koniglich-Sachsisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, No. 349, H. St. zu 

"Dresden, den 26. Marz, 191 3. 

"Auf Ihr Schreiben vom 15. dieses Monats teilt Ihnen die 
unterzeichnete Direktion mit, dass an der von Ihnen bezcichneten 
Aktenstelle sich kein Bericht iiber den Tod Benjamin Franklins 
vorfindet. Auf Bl. 450 der von Ihnen angefiihrten Akten ist 
aber als Beilage zu einem Berichte des Gesandten Riviere die 
Rede wiedergegeben, durch die Mirabeau der franzosischen Na- 
tionalversammlung den Tod Franklins mitteilte. Abschrift da- 
von befindet sich umstehend. 

"Direktion des Koniglich-Sachsischen Hauptstaatsarchivs. 

"Posse. 
"Fr'dulein Beatrice M. Victory, 

"cand. phil., Philadelphia." 

"Abschrift! 

"Discours de Monsieur le Comte de Mirabeau. 

"Francklin est mort ... II est restourne au sein de la 
Divinite, le Genie qui affranchit I'Amerique et versa sur 1' Europe 
des torrens de Lumieres. 

"Le sage que deux mondes reclamant, I'homme que se dis- 



38 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

putent I'histoire des Sciences et I'histoires des Empires, tenait 
sans doute un rang bien eleve dans I'espece humaine. 

"Assez longtems les Cabinets politiques ont notifie la mort 
de ceux qui ne furent grands que dans leur eloge funebre assez 
longtems I'etiquette des Cours a proclame des deuils hyprocrites : 
les Nations ne doivent porter que le Deuil de leur bienfaiteurs; 
les Representans des Nations ne doivent recommander a leurs 
hommages que les heros de I'humanite. 

"Le Congres a ordonne, dans les quartorze Etats de la Con- 
federation un Deuil de deuz mois pour la mort de Francklin, et 
I'Amerique acquitte en ce moment ce tribut de veneration et de 
reconnoissance pour I'un des Peres de sa Constitution. 

"Ne seroit-il pas digne de vous, Messieurs, de nous unir a 
I'Amerique dans cet acte religieux de participer a cet hommage 
rendu a la Face de I'Univers, et aux Droits de I'homme, et au 
Philosophe qui a le plus contribue a en propager la conquete? 
TAntiquite eut eleve des Autels au puissant Genie, qui, au profit 
des Mortels, embrassant dans sa pensee le Ciel et la terre, sut 
dompter la Foudre et les Tirans. 1' Europe eclairee et libre doit du 
moins un temoignage de souvenir et de regret a I'un des plus- 
grands hommes qui aient jamais servi la Philosophie et la 
Liberie. 

"Je propose qu'il soit descrete que I'Assemblee Nationale 
partera pendant trois jours le deuil de Benjamin Franklin." 

In the extracts from the commissioners' letters to the Com- 
mittee of Congress we read, Paris, April 28, 1777 : "As the min- 
ister from Prussia may not soon arrive and that court has shown 
a disposition to treat, by entering into a correspondence with us 
we have thought it might be well that one of us should visit it 
immediately, to improve its present good disposition, and obtain 
if possible, the privilege of their ports to trade and fit ships in, 
and to steal our prizes. Mr. Lee has readily undertaken this 
journey."-^ (Price) 

The following is the commissioners' letter to the Prussian 
minister in regard to this appointment, dated Paris, April 19, 



"" Library of Congress. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 39 

78, and signed by the three agents, B. Franklin, Silas Deane 
nd Arthur Lee : 

"Sir: . . . We have their commands (the orders of 
Congress of the United States) to inform his Prussian Majesty's 
Ambassador here that they propose to send a minister to your 
respective court with all convenient expedition, properly empow- 
ered to treat upon affairs of importance, and that we are in the 
meantime instructed and authorized by Congress to solicit the 
friendship of your court, to request that it would offer no aid to 
their enemies, but use its good offices to prevent the landing of 
troops by other powers to be transported to America for their 
destruction, and to offer the free commerce of the United States 
to the subject of Prussia. 

"We have taken the earliest opportunity of obeying these 
commands. But considering the great importance of establish- 
ing a free commerce between the two countries as soon as 
possible, and confident that every objection may be obviated, and 
the wished-for intercourse opened and established on the most 
certain and beneficial grounds to promote the interests of both 
countries, we propose that one of us shall wait on your excellency 
as soon as conveniently may be done, to explain personally the 
situation of America, the nature, extent and importance of its 
commerce and the methods by which it may be carried on with 
Prussia to mutual advantage. In the proposed interview we are 
confident the difficulties mentioned by your excellency may be 
surmounted, and a very considerable of American commerce be 
turned to Prussia by measures neither dangerous or expensive." 

Arthur Lee, the successor of Carmichael, was selected as the 
suitable envoy to be sent to Berlin. "Sanguine in temperment, 
creduluous, hasty in action", he demonstrated his nervous spon- 
taneity in persistent diplomatic aggressiveness. He informed 
Schulenburg of his intended trip as follows : "Sir : In conse- 
quence of the letter, with in conjunction with my brother com- 
missioners. Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane, I have the honor of 
writing your excellency, I intend to depart from hence to Berlin 
before this time. But an accident having happened, which in- 
evitably prevents me from setting out, I am under great anxiety 



40 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

lest your excellency should impute my delay to a wont of tl^ 
perfect respect which I ought to feel for your excellency's coui 
and character.'' He continues by giving assurance that his. dela)' 
will not be prolonged one moment longer than positively neces- 
sary. Schulenburg replied to this on the 20th, acknowledging 
the receipt of his letter and also that on the part of the three 
American agents, Franklin, Deane and himself : "I still appre- 
hend difficulties which may interfere in the present circumstances 
with the establishment of a direct commerce between his Majesty's 
subjects and the Colonies of North America, and that I consider 
our Correspondence on this subject rather as preliminary to what 
may come to pass than as negotiations from which any immediate 
advantage may be expected."^*^ He consoles him in regard to his 
forced detention, by the fact that at the best, the matter will be 
one of uncertainty and will make the slowest strides of progress. 
Lee does not in any way read between the lines, but acting upon 
the responsibility of his mission, he proceeded to Berlin and 
informed the Prussian minister of his arrival on June 6th and 
asked for an inter\-iew. 

The arrogance of Arthur Lee's spirit must have revolted at 
the attitude of the foreign court of Prussia with its conservatism. 
On ]\Iay 8, 1777, he wrote Baron Schulenburg in regard to his 
intended visit to Berlin. The reply from the Prussian minister 
gave no encouragement, as we read in the letter from him on 
]\Iay 20th, speaking of the forced delay of which Lee had writ- 
ten, "this leads me to believe, sir. that you have no reason to 
distress yourself on account of this delay . . . when you 
defer for some time an affair the success of which can not most 
probably but be slow." Lee reached Vienna on leaving 
Munich, and informed the commissioners of the condition of 
the court in this city in a letter dated the 27th of May: "There 
is a cold tranquility here that bodes no good. It is not possible 
to quicken this German indifference." He reached Berlin on 



"^ Library of Congress, Wharton Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. II. p. 
306; Sparks' Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. III. p. 418. 

See papers now first published from original MSS. by Philadelphia 
Seventy-Six Society, 1855. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 41 

June 4th and was received in conference by the minister, since the 
king was absent at this time from the Prussian capitol. In fact 
had he been in the vicinity, he would by no means have received 
this representative of the Colonies. He sent lists of commodities, 
which might be an incentive for infusing an enthusiasm in the 
venture of establishing a commerce, but the condition of the 
Prussian fleet at this period, as Frederic repeatedly asserts in his 
letters, was such as to warrant the utmost caution on the part of 
his country. The theft of Lee's papers in Berlin by an English 
emissary and their immediate return, is a story that has been 
repudiated and argued to the detriment of the American's diplo- 
matic caution and defended again, as an accident entirely beyond 
his jurisdiction. The success of his mission he clearly states in a 
letter to the commissioners in Paris, dated the 15th of June, 
Berlin : "The letters you have received from hence will show 
you how the wind blows here; I have tried all in my power to 
make it change — hitherto in vain. In ten days I shall set out on 
my return. There can not be a state of more quiescence than 
prevails in this place ; what is merely commercial is planned, but 
whether it will be adopted remains to be determined." At last, 
thoroughly disgusted with his treatment by the Prussian court, 
he retired to Paris in July. The attitude of Lee, however, suf- 
fered no whit in its aggressiveness, for we find him missing no 
opportunity to offer, by letters, to Schulenburg any inducement 
for the encouragement of trade. November 13th of the same 
year he wrote to this minister as follows: "... a com- 
mission has been received appointing William Lee commissioner 
of Congress to the court of Berlin, with power to negotiate a 
treaty of amity and commerce with the King of Prussia. The 
great knowledge of this gentleman in commerce will enable him 
to throw far more light on that subject than I was able to com- 
municate." This was received by the court in the most indifferent 
manner. "As to the commission of Mr. William Lee, the king 
having repeatedly declared his sentiments respecting the actual 
difficulties attending a commercial connection with America, not- 
withstanding his constant good disposition towards the Colonies, 



42 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

can not possibly conjecture, as circiiinstances have not changed, 
what proposition ]\Ir. Lee can make more acceptable to his 
majesty, nor consequently what can be the object of his mission." 
William Lee in Berlin had less inlluence than his brother, and had 
to remain in incognito in this city ; that is, he enjoyed none of 
the public honors that attended his diplomatic dignity. Schulen- 
burg assured him of the king's interest in all things that pertained 
to the growth of his trade. "The king, who always graciously 
receives the news you send me, and expresses his satisfaction 
when it is in your favor, had seen the passage of your brother's 
letter, and I can assure you, sir. that his majesty will not be the 
last power to acknowledge your independency ; but you must feel 
yourself that it is not natural that he should be the first, and that 
France, whose commercial and political interests are more im- 
mediately connected with yours, should set the example." At the 
breaking out of the war between the emperor and Frederic, 
William Lee withdrew from Vienna and retired to Frankfort to 
await the final action of the various Powers. It was evident to 
the mind of Lee that it was inopportune for either the court of 
Berlin or Vienna to take an open part with the cause of the 
Colonies, for fear that Hanover would join the forces of the 
adversary. 

We can sum up these endeavors of the commissioners to 
these courts in a word, which embraces failure and yet a certain 
degree of success in the final move, which resulted in the estab- 
lishment of a trade between the Powers and the independent 
thirteen American States. 

"Wednesday, June 6, 1781. 

"Resolved That the Alinister Plenipotentiary be authorised 
and instructed to concern in behalf of these United States, with 
his most Christian Majesty in accepting the mediation proposed 
by the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Germany. But to 
accede to no Treaty of Peace, which shall not be such as may 
effectually secure the Independence and sovereignity of the thir- 
teen States according to the form and effect of the Treaties 
subsisting between the said States and his most Christian 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 43 

Majesty, and in which said Treaties shall not be left in their full 
force and vality."^^ 

This is a proof of the reasons made by the ministers pleni- 
potentiary on behalf of securing the desired treaty of peace. 
These ministers were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John 
Jay, Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson. 

On May 7, 1784, we find : 

"Resolved That it will be advantageous to the United States 
to conclude such treaties with Russia, the Court of Vienna, 
Prussia, Denmark, Saxony, Hamburg, Great Britain, Spain, 
Portugal, Genoa, Tuscany, Rome, Naples, Venice, Sardinia, and 
the Ottoman ports. ""''- 

Benjamin Franklin authorized, thus made the final move on 
the chessboard of diplomacy with the following letter on May 26, 
1785, addressed to Baron Thulemeier, the Prussian minister: 

"Sir — We received the letter you did us the Honor of Writ- 
ing the 3rd inst. and are happy to find that all points of the pro- 
posed Treaty being through the King's Goodness and Condescen- 
sion now agreed, nothing remains but to transcribe it fairly and 
to sign & exchange the Copies according to our Powers, & the 
usual Forms. But the Signatures of at least two of our number 
being necessary, & Mr. Adams who has acted with us in the 
whole transaction being called away by his mission to the Court 
of G. Britain and another of us rendered unable by Age and a 
painful malady to perform a hard Journey, there is a Difficulty 
in Meeting with Your Excellency for the purpose either of any 
intermediate Place, or at that of your Residence which in respect 
to the King we might otherwise willing do. We therefore 
propose for your consideration, whether tho not usual the acts 
would be equally valid, if in case it should not suit you to come 
to Paris (where however we should be glad to see you) we were 
to sign separately the Instrument, dating our Signatures with 
Time and Place, & Exchanging by a Special Messenger who 
might deliver to you that which shall be signed by us, to be then 



Library of Congress. 
'Secret Journals, Vol. Ill, p. 222 ff. 



44 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

signed and kept by you and received that signed by your Excel- 
lency, we can afterwards sign here, he witnessing both. We 
request your Opinion & Determination and are with great 
respect. . . ." 

John Adams, as American agent at The Hague negotiated 
with Baron Thulemeier a treaty with Prussia. The new form 
sent by Congress had necessitated a revision of the Prussian 
treaty to so large an extent that almost new negotiations were 
found ultimately inevitable. The Prussian minister showed him- 
self interested and active. The treaty was drawn up between the 
parties concerned. The negotiation was carried on by corre- 
spondence between Paris and The Hague and was finally signed 
by Mr. Adams, Mr. Jefferson and Dr. Franklin in Paris, and by 
Baron Thulemeier at The Plague, a special understanding having 
been arranged that the agents might sign in different cities. The 
Prussian agent says on the 24th of January: "The English lan- 
guage being familiar neither to the Prussian Chancery, nor to 
the King nor his ministers, it has become necessary that I should 
make a French translation, and to prove its exactness, I have 
caused it to be placed by the side of the annexed observations." 

Of this treaty with Prussia Franklin writes at St. Germain, 
twelve miles from Paris, July 18, 1785: "I did my last public 
act in this Country just before I set out which was signing a 
Treaty of Amity and Commerce with Prussia."^^ 

To John Jay he writes from Philadelphia, September 19, 
1785: "I have the honor to acquaint you that I left Paris the 
1 2th of July, and, agreeable to the permission of Congress, am 
returned to my own country. . . . Our joint letters have 
already informed you of our late proceedings, to which I have 
nothing to add, except that the last act I did, as Minister Pleni- 
potentiary for making treaties, was to sign with him two days 
before I came away, the treaty of friendship, and commerce 
that had been agreed on with Prussia and which was to be carried 
to the Hague by Mr. Short, there to be signed by Baron Thule- 



^ Library of Congress. Smyth, Benjamin Franklin, Vol. IX, p. 133. 
^' Letter in possession of Mrs. E. B. Ilolden. Printed in Smyth, Vol. IX, 
P 363. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 45 

meyer on the part of the King, who without the least hesitation 
had approved and conceded to the new humane articles proposed 
by Congress. "^^ 

Frankhn writes to his old friend, Jan Ingen Housz, June 
27, 1786, from Philadelphia: "You will see in the Treaty we 
have made with Prussia some marks of my Endeavors to lessen 
the Calamities of future wars."^^ 

Franklin had received offers from other ministers of Ger- 
many, as he says : "The Elector of Saxony, as I understand from 
his Minister, here, has thoughts of sending one to Congress, and 
proposing a treaty of Commerce and Amity with us. Prussia has 
likewise an inclination to share in a Trade with America, and the 
Minister of that Court, tho' he has not directly propos'd a Treaty, 
his given me a Pacquet of Lists of several sorts of Merchandise 
they can furnish us with, which he requests me to send to Amer- 
ica for the Information of our Merchants."^'^ 

(e) Attitude of Louis XVI Toward England and the American 

Colonies. 

The attitude of Louis XVI toward England in the year 
1776 was quite similar to that of Frederic of Prussia. Unlike 
him, France had been in direct conflict with her enemy in the 
New World. Europe had been the arena for the wild tigers and 
lions to tear each other to pieces for seven direful years. The 
wonderful strategy of the Prussian ruler against the enormous 
force of Russia and Austria combined, we have already seen. In 
the face of the glories of Frederic the Great, France found her- 
self humbled and utterly defeated on all sides. Most especially 
she suffered under the lash of Britain in the North American 
Colonies; although France was necessarily but awaiting an op- 
portunity to repay the foe in her own coin. Frederic hesitated 
and refused to give support to the revolutionists, although he felt 

'^Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. II, p. 425. Smyth, 
Vol. IX, p. 463, Journals of Congress. 

^ Library of Congress. Printed in Smyth, Vol. IX, p. 520. 

"Library of Congress. Printed in Smyth, IX, p. 67. Printed in Sparks' 
Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. IV, pp. 84, 107, 109. 



46 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

their indomitable intent to win or die. Would the French mon- 
arch venture in where others feared to tread? The French 
people were already at this early date stirred t^ their souls by 
the grand and glorious theme of social equality. The entire 
nation reached out its hand to the new strugglers for human 
rights. This was France when Franklin reached Bordeaux. She 
was a nation hostile to Great Britain by the long continued tradi- 
tion of centuries, an humbled nation, smarting to recover her lost 
prestige and to console her wounded pride, a nation whose heart 
was just beginning to throb with new ideas, but saw these new 
conceptions trampled on, in danger of being crushed by this 
hereditary and victorious foe. She was also a nation which saw 
in the American trade an object worth striving for. It was 
natural that the United States should turn to France first among 
the nations of Europe. America naturally could not feel as 
assured of the other nations, but to lose no opportunity of any 
possible assistance, she wisely sent her agents to the courts of 
Austria, Spain, Russia, Prussia and the United Netherlands. In 
the Seven Years' War Spain had felt keenly the goad of England's 
enmity, but her possessions in America would not tend to induce 
her action in any support of the insurgents. Austria and Prussia 
were more closely affiliated in their relations to France than to 
the assumptions of Britain. Franklin's task, however, was not 
an easy one and although the main field of his action was France 
and, in the narrower term. Paris, still he was the most responsible 
agent of all those sent, and it was through him as the final author- 
ity of the official jurisdiction of the home Congress that any 
treaties or alliances were formulated. 

"It would be difficult to describe the eagerness and delight 
with which the American envoys, the agents of a people in a 
state of insurrection against their monarch, were received in 
France, in the bosom of an ancient monarchy. Nothing could 
be more striking than the contrast between the luxury of our 
capitol, the elegance of our fashions, the magnificance of Ver- 
sailles, the still brilliant remains of Monarchical pride of Louis 
XIV, and the polish and superb dignity of our nobility on the 
one hand, and on the other hand, the almost rustic apparel, the 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 47 

plain but firm demeanor, the free and direct language of the 
enjoys, whose antique simplicity of dress and appearance seem to 
have introduced within our walls, in the midst of the effiminate 
and servile refinement of the eighteenth century, some sages 
contemporary with Plato or republicans of the age of Cato and 
Fabius. This unexpected apparition, produced upon us a greater 
effect in consequence of its novelty, and of its occurring precisely 
at a period when literature and philosophy had circulated amongst 
us an usual desire for reforms, a disposition to encourage innova- 
tions and the seeds of an ardent attachment to liberty."^^ 

Franklin had readily won the hearts of all, being gifted to 
read and observe human nature with unfailing accuracy. "His 
calmness and prudence'' were certainly grave faults in the eyes 
of such an impatient nature as Arthur Lee and several other 
members of the commission at Paris, but his was the most vital 
and potent force in the field of diplomacy. 



' Parton's Franklin, p. 211. 



CHAPTER III. 

Franklin's Visit to Germany. 
(a) Evidences of His Visit. 

The year of 1766 was a very memorable one for Franklin. 
In February of that year he underwent his famous examination 
in the House of Commons, relative to the repeal of the American 
Stamp Act. There was no event in Franklin's life more credit- 
able to his talents and character or which gave him so much 
celebrity as this examination before the House of Commons. In 
that year he was made a member of the Konigliche Gesellschaft 
der Wissenschaften at Gottingen. This fact is authenticated by 
the Gottingische Anseigen von Gclehrten Sachen, 1766, Vol. I, 
Art. no, which reads, dated 13th of September, 1766: 

"Die Versammlung der Koniglichen Societiit am 19. Juli war 
feierlich, als gewohnlich. Die beiden Englischen beriihmten 
Gelehrten, der Konigl. Leibmedicus Herr Pringle und Benjamin 
Franklin aus Pensilvanien, die damals auf einer Reise nach 
Deutschland, sich in Gottingen sich [sic] befanden, nehmen als 
Mitglieder ihre Stelle ein." 

In this same magazine, dated 8th and nth of September, 
1766, in articles 147 and 148, we find : 

"Hierauf erziihlte der Herr Sekretar die neuesten Verande- 
rungen die sich in der Konigl. Societat zugetragen haben. Sie 
hat gleich im Anfange dieses Jahres, drei beriihmte Englische 
Gelehrte, den Doct. Robert Lowth, jetzt Bischofen von Oxford, 
den Herrn Doctor Benjamin Rennicourt, Professor der Theologie 
zu Oxford, und Herrn Doct. John Pringle, Leibmedicum Ihrer 
Majestiit des Konigs und nebst ihnen den Churfiirstl. Herrn C. 
L. von Hagedorn, zu auswartigen Mitgliedern aufgenommen; 
und ferner im Sommer den Herrn Aug. Ludwig Schlosser zu 
Petersburg, der schon seit einigen Jahren ihr Correspondent 
gewesen, hier bei seiner Auswesenheit und den Herrn Benjamin 
Franklin aus Pennsylvanien bei seiner Durchreise durch Got- 
tingen dazu genannt." 

(48) 



1-: X PERI M E N T S 



() r, S K R V A T I O X S 



ELECTRICITY, 

M A I) L A T 

P 1 11 L A D li MMII A in A M II R I C A , 



i; , -. . V M ; N F R A N K L i N, L. L. D. ajfc^ 1- . R. S. 

'- " ■' '■ tA 

L ]•: T T t. R S and F A P S' R S 

Ph ! LOS Ol^HICAL fcUSt?. (-TS. 

i i . Whole correifteil, methodized, im-jvrovcd. and now firft col 
le^cd into one Volume, 

AND 

nU.nratca «;t'i COIM'ER i'LAlKS. 



n,v,t. It ;^?v ; r.:\ 1 
,»t llicCoiMi >.f"St l'J<- 



/: 









Personal Dedication- of Fraxklix to the Royal 
Academy of Science at Gottixgen, Fouxd in the 
Library of the Uxiversity of Gottingen. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 49 

Again from V-'rsuch einer acadeniischen Gelehrten- 
Geschichfe von Georg- Augustus Universitdt zii Gottingen, 1765- 
1788. Band II, S. 281, von Johann Stephan Putters; Professoren 
des Staatsrechts zu Gottingen, is this notice of this same matter : 
"Aus anderen Landern sind seit noch folgende neue Mitglieder 
aufgenommen (i) In der Physichen Classe (8) Sir John 
Pringle Med. D. Konigin von England Leibartzt 1766-1782: 
(9) Benjamin FrankHn." 

Johann David Michaelis, Schreibcn an Herrn Prof. Schlozer 
die Zcitrechmmg vom Siindflut bis auf Salomon betreffend 
writes thus: "Als Franklin vor einigen Jahren, mich diinkt 
1766, in Gottingen war, versicherte mir dieser grosse Kenner 
seines Vaterlandes und genaue Mathematiker, die Englischen 
Colonien in Nord Amerika verdoppclten sich alle 25 Jahre."^^ 

Another proof of the high esteem in which Franklin held 
the institution of Gottingen is seen in the dedication in his own 
writing in a copy of his Experiments and Observations On Elec- 
tricity Made at Philadelphia, London, 1769 : 
"To the Royal Academy of Sciences 
at Gottingen 
As a small Token 
of his Respect and Duty, 
This Book is humbly presented 
by the Author." — 

The University of Gottingen contains two copies of this 
work of Dr. Franklin. 

In the Pyrmonter Brunnenarchiv, which contains a list of 
guests at Pyrmont from 1752, published in Berlin, 1782, we read 
this entry under the year 1766: "Leibmedicus Ritter Pringle aus 
London und Dr. Franklin aus Pennsylvanien kommt aus 
London." 

The University of Gottingen was founded by George II in 
1734 and here Americans and Hanoverians found themselves 
under the same monarch. We owe to Franklin the awakening of 
interest in America for the German universities, for previous to 



'° Gottingisches Magazin dcr Wisscnschafien und Litteratur. Herausge- 
geben von Georg Christoph Lichtenberg und Georg Forster. 5 Stiick, erster 
Jahrgang, S. 163. 



50 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

his personal knowledge of this institution, Americans were wont 
to cross the seas to study in Cambridge or Oxford or the Scotch 
universities. 

Franklin's visit excited the highest interest in Germany. 
But the importance of his visit for America was not this interest 
which he awakened in the German fatherland, but the seed which 
took root in Franklin's breast to establish an American Gottingen. 
which bore fruit in the establishment of the public college of the 
City of Philadelphia — since 1779 the present University of Penn- 
sylvania. With Franklin we have the human link of fellowship, 
which was born then and which has since so strongly tied Ger- 
many and the United States in bonds of friendship and good 
feeling. 

Franklin's companion on this journey, as later on his visits 
to France, was Sir John Pringle, who advised Franklin to join 
him on his eight weeks' tour, stopping first at Pyrmont for the 
waters. Dr. Franklin upon arriving there decided that air, 
exercise and a change of scene might be beneficial and filed with 
a desire to know more of the country which he was visiting for 
the first and last time, left his good friend and visited the prin- 
cipal cities nearest Prymont. We have record only of his visits 
at Gottingen and Hanover. 

''His Philosophical discoveries and writings have given him 
a wider fame on the Continent than even in England or at home, 
for in Germany, he was not the subject of party enmity, probably 
little was yet known of his political importance, and the Germans 
content with the fact that he was the delegate of his countrymen 
abroad were satisfied with that evidence, that the great philoso- 
pher was no less a statesman. The results of his examination 
before the House of Commons which did more than anything 
else to give him celebrity as a political economist had not then 
been published."^^ 

The following letter from Lafayette shows the general in- 
terest Franklin had aroused in Germany, and also the attitude of 
the Germans of the upper circle toward the revolution: 



Hale, Franklin in France, p. 7. ' vO^-l'x>u><^ ^t^ci 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 51 

"Paris, Feb. loth, 1789. 
"My dear friend 

"Witli Unspeakable Satisfaction I have heard of your safe 
arrival in America, and Heartily wished I Had been Mingled in 
the Happy crowd of My fellow Citicens when they saw you set 
your foot on the Shore of Liberty. When your friends in Paris 
met together their first word was to talk of You. The wishes for 
your fortunate Voyage and pleasing sight of your family and 
friends Became a National Sentiment — in my tour through Ger- 
many I have Been Asked thousand questions about you, when I 
felt equally proud and Happy to Boast of our Affectionate in- 
timacy. 

"Prussia and the Austria dominions with some parts of the 
German Empire the liberties of which are to much spoke of in 
treaties and to little felt by the people Have been the object of my 
Very Agreeable journey — the fine class of the people I found 
misinformed with respect to American affairs — What may be 
wrong they know perfectly, with an addition of thousand lies and 
I wish no ground was left for our enemies to Broach those lies 
upon and altho they Have a due respect and enthusiastic admira- 
tion for the virtues displayed By Amerika during the War — it is 
a matter of doubt with them if free Constitutions can support 
themselves (some sensible and sad feeling men excepted particu- 
larly Prince Henry) — the king of Prussia Himself is Blinded 
by Habit and prejudices. 

"That Monarch's health is very Bad — The New Emperor's 
temper not very quiete — But Great Britain's Affairs Being embar- 
rassed and our politics very pacific I don't think any storm is to 
Be feared — I have been very Happy to hear You Have Accepted 
the presidency of Pennsylvania. . . . 

"Yours, Lafayette."^^ 

In the correspondence to Franklin we find but one letter 
which throws light upon his visit to Hanover. This is a letter 
from Johann Friedrich Hartmann, written in Latin, dated the 
Calendes of October, 1767, in which he says: "Often have I 
recalled the happy occasion, when I was permitted to see and talk 



" The American Philosophical Society. Franklin Papers. 



52 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

with you privately. The Prince of Schwarzbiirg-Rudolstadt had 
sent to Gottingen a special emmissary to offer his salutations to 
Franklin, but unfortunately the latter left that very day; and the 
hope of seeing him was frustrated."'- The knowledge we have 
of this Hartniann is that he was noted among his contemporaries 
for his electrical investigations, and was head of the Royal 
Hospital and a prominent physician in Hanover. In the 
Gottingisehen Anaeigen, bearing the date of September 2/, 1766, 
we read that Pringle and Franklin visited Mr. Hartmann in 
Hanover, in order to see his apparatus for strong electrical ex- 
periments. No doubt it was through Sir John Pringle that the 
interest between Hartmann and Franklin was mutually aroused. 

That Franklin knew himself at least the names of famous 
men, noted for their electrical experiments, is proved in a letter 
to his friend. Peter Collinson, in which he says, describing a 
dinner, to be given in Philadelphia: "A Turkey to be killed for 
our dinner by the electrical shock, and roasted by the electrical 
jack before a fire kindled by the electrified bottle, when the 
healths of all the famous electricians in England. Holland, France 
and Germany are to be drunk from electrified bumpers under the 
discharge of guns from the electrical battery.""*^ 

Franklin introduced into England the pulse-glass, by which 
water is made to boil in a vacuum by the heat of the hand. 
Nairne, the mathematical instrument maker, made a number of 
them from the one that Franklin brought from Germany, He 
speaks of this in a letter to John W'inthrop, London. July 2. 
1768: "An ingenius artist here, Mr. Nairne, mathematical instru- 
ment maker, has made a number of them from mine, and im- 
proved them, for his are much more sensible than those I brought 
from Germany.""*^, *^ 

It seems that he may have received these pulse-glasses from 
the physician Dr. Hartmann. He writes again of this same mat- 
ter: "When I was last year in Germany, I met with a singular 



**Anier. Philos. Society. 

^Experiments and Observations on Electricity, p. 2\. 
** Experiments and Observations on Electricity, p. 486. 
" Smyth, \'ol. 5, p. 140. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 53 

kind of glass being a tube about 8 inches long, half -inch in diam- 
eter, with a hollow ball of near an inch diameter at one end, and 
one of an inch and half at the other, hermetically sealed, and 
half filled with water. ""^^ 

In the Literarischer Briefwechsel of Johann David Michaelis, 
by Johann Gottlieb Buhle (pp. 214-218), we read letters written 
by Sir John Pringle to him dated London, the 6th of May, 1766, 
in which Pringle acknowledges the receipt of a diploma from the 
Royal Society at Gottingen and expressed at this late date, the 
delay being due to illness, his high sense of the dignity of the 
honor which he shall always reckon as one of the most fortunate 
circumstances of his life, but he mentions nothing in regard to 
his friend and companion Franklin, who no doubt made his own 
acknowledgment, although the letter has been lost, or else hidden 
away where the hands of research have not as yet reached it. 

Again, London, September 6, 1766, he writes: "I cannot 
conclude without giving You the strongest assurances of my 
grateful remembrance of all Your civilities, and the pleasure, 
which I enjoyed in your company during my stay in Gottingen. I 
have had the satisfaction, not only to acquaint Baron Miinch- 
hausen and Baron Behr with the good effects of their letters, 
in procuring to my companion Dr. Franklin and to myself the 
attentions and conversations of so many learned gentlemen, as 
we had the good fortune to be introduced to there, but likewise 
to add this circumstance to the account, which I had the honor to 
give His Majesty of the flourishing state of His University 
abroad." 

Pringle three years later from London, June 2, 1769, wrote: 
"When I had the pleasure of seeing you at Gottingen, Dr. Frank- 
lin and I were among the first to inform you of the accounts, we 
had received of the great size of the Patagonians." The matter 
he finds has been exaggerated. In conclusion he wrote thus: 
"I beg, Dear Sir, to have my best respects presented to the Ladies 
and Gentlemen, I had the pleasure to see in Your House, and the 
other members of Your Learned Society. Dr. Franklin who is 

" Smyth, Vol. 5, p. 139. 



54 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

still here and whom I see often, desires me to make you and 
them the same compliment."^' 

Franklin, when he arrived in Germany, had just made his 
presence and his influence felt in England by his statements be- 
fore the House of Commons, and the fresh air of Germany may 
have appealed to him after the hot atmosphere of argumentation, 
which the storm of the repeal of the Stamp Act had not yet 
cooled. No letters of that period written by his hand can be 
found, although his visit lasted from June 15 to August 13, 1766. 
He seems to have kept no note of these travels. Perhaps these 
may have been mislaid, if made at all, as he says in his Autobiog- 
raphy: "In truth I found myself incorrigible with respect to order 
and now I am grown old and my memory bad, I feel very sensibly 
the want of it." The journey was made in the midst of a very 
exciting period of his life and he must have enjoyed his visit 
because of his desire, keenly expressed to revisit Germany, as he 
writes later to Jan Ingen Housz, Passy, October 2, 1781 : 'T 
last Year requested of Congress to release me from this Sen'ice 
that I might spend the evening of Life more agreeably in philo- 
sophic Leisure; but I was refused. If I had succeeded it was my 
Intention to make the Tour of Italy, with my Grandson, pass 
into Germany and spend some time happily with you. Whom I 
have always loved, ever since I knew you with uninterrupted 
affection. "^^ 

Johann August Bauer, in his Franklin und Washington, 
page 99, speaks of this visit thus: "Im Verlauf des Jahres 1766 
machte Franklin eine Reise durch Holland und Deutschland und 
ward von alien Gelehrten in diesen Landem mit der grossten Ach- 
tung aufgenommen." 

Speaking of general conditions in Europe at the outbreak of 

the American Revolution, Julian Schmidt expresses his opinion 

<^^^ ^ /flg> thus, in his Geschichte des ges}rigen Lebens in Deutschland von 

/I /hy Leibnitz bis auf Lessing (16^1-1781), Leipzig. 1864, Bd. II, S. 

' ' 209, thus: "Man weiss welches Aufsehen Franklin's Besuch in 



*' Literarischer Briefwechsel J. D. Michaelis, von Joh. Gottlieb Buhle. 
Band II, S. 214-218. 

** American Philosophical Society. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 55 

Europa machte, auch in Gottingen, wo er sich im Herbst 1766 
aufhielt, betrachtete man diese originelle Figur mit Aufmerk- 
samkeit" 

(b) Franklins References to Absence. 

References to absence in Germany were made by Franklin 
in several letters. On September 27, 1766, in a letter addressed 
to his "dear friend and neighbor", Mr. Charles Thomson. From 
London he writes : "I received your very kind Letter of May 
20th, which came here while I was absent in Germany."^^ Again, 
Craven Street, London, October 4, 1766, he makes reference 
to his absence abroad in a letter to an unknown correspond- 
ent.^^'' Again on October nth of that same year, he addresses a 
letter to Mrs. Deborah Franklin: "I received your kind little 
Letter of Aug. 26th by the Packet. I suppose they imagined I 
should not be returned from Germany. . . ." Again on De- 
cember 13th, he writes to Mrs. Franklin: "Since my last I have 
received your kind letters of Sept. 28th and Oct. 9th. I won- 
dered you had not heard of my return from Germany, as I wrote 
by the August Packet, and by a Ship from Holland, just as I 
was coming over."^*' 

He had already sent a letter from London June 13th to Mrs. 
Franklin telling of this proposed trip to Germany : "1 wrote you, 
that I had been ill lately. I am now nearly well again, but feeble. 
Tomorrow I set out with my friend Dr. Pringle (now Sir John) 
on a journey to Pyrmont where he goes to drink the waters ; but 
I hope more from the air and exercise, having been used as you 
know, to have a journey once a year, the want of which last year, 
has, I believe, hurt me so that, though I was not quite to say sick, 
I was often ailing last winter and through the spring. We must 
be back at fartherest in eight weeks, as my fellow-traveller 
is the Queen's physician, and has leave for no longer, ... I 
propose to leave him at Pyrmont and visit some of the principal 



" Original MS. New York Historical Society. 
"* American Philosophical Society. 
""American Philosophical Society. 



56 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

cities nearest to it, and call for him again when the time for our 
return draws nigh."^^ 

Again in a letter to Robert R. Livingston from Passy June 
22, 1783, he writes, expressing a wish to know the status of 
affairs in the new arrangement of foreign affairs and refers to 
this visit. The Swedish ambassadors having offered his grand- 
son the position of American ambassador, and the Danish min- 
ister having been generous in a similar offer, Franklin says : "But 
it is not my Custom to solicit Employments for myself, or any 
of my Family, and I shall not do it in this case. I only hope that 
if he is not employed in your arrangement, I may be informed 
of it as soon as possible, that while I have Strength left for it, I 
may accompany him in a Tour to Italy, returning through Ger- 
many, which I think he may make to more Advantage with me 
than alone, and which I have long promised him as a reward for 
his faithful Service and his tender filial Attachment to me."^- 

Of the letters written to Franklin referring to this visit, we 
may add one dated Alfreton, August 10, 1766, which reads as 
follows : "Dear Sir : By this I expect you are returned to London 
from your Germany tour. Which I hope has been pleasing to you, 
& useful to Sr. John Pringle. . . ." This is signed Ant (hony) 
Tissington.^^ 



American Philosophical Society. Printed in Sparks, Vol. VII, p. 320. 
' Library of Congress. 
' American Philosophical Society. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Franklin's Knowledge of Things German. 

(a) At Home. 

We shall mention here but one instance which shows the 
clear insight that Franklin possessed of the character of the Penn- 
sylvania Germans of his period. This we read in his letter to 
Peter Collinson dated Philadelphia, May 9, 1753: 'T am per- 
fectly of your mind, that measures of great temper are necessary 
with the Germans ; and am not without apprehensions that through 
their indiscretion or ours, or both, great disorders may one day 
arise among us. Those who come hither are generally the most 
stupid of their own nation and, as ignorance is often attended 
with credulity when knavery would mislead it and with suspicion 
when honesty would set it right; and as few of the English un- 
derstood the German language, and so cannot address them 
either from the press or the pulpit, it is almost impossible to 
remove any prejudices they may entertain. Their clergy have 
very little influence on the people, who seem to take a pleasure 
in abusing and discharging the ministers on every trivial occa- 
sion. Not being used to liberty, they know not how to make a 
modest use of it. And as Colben says of the young Hottentots, 
that they are not esteemed men until they have shown their man- 
hood by beating their mothers, so these seems not to think them- 
selves free, until they can feel their liberty in abusing and insult- 
ing their teachers. Thus they are under no restraint from 
ecclesiastical government; they behave, however, submissively 
enough at present to the civil government which I wish they may 
continue to do; for I remember when they modestly declined 
intermeddling in our elections, but now they come in droves and 
carry all before them, except in one or two counties. Few of 
their children in the country know English. They import many 
books from Germany; and of the six printing-houses in the 
provinces two are entirely German, two half German half English, 
and but two entirely English. They have one German news- 

(57) 



58 Bcnjaviin Franklin and Germany 

paper and one half-German. Advertisements, intended to be 
general are now printed in Dutch and English. The signs in our 
streets have inscriptions in both languages, and in some places 
only in German. They begin of late to make all their bonds and 
other legal instruments in their own language, which (though 
I think it ought not to be) are allowed good in our courts, when 
the German business so increases, that there is continued need 
of interpreters; and I suppose in a few years tliey will also be 
necessary in the Assembly, to tell one half our legislators what 
the other half say. 

"In short unless the stream of their importation could be 
turned from this to other colonies, as you ver\' judiciously pro- 
pose, they \\'\\\ soon so out number us, that all tlie advantages we 
have will in my opinion, be not able to preserve our language, 
and even our Government will become precarious. The French, 
who watch all advantages, are now themselves making a German 
settlement back of us. in the Illinois countr)% and by means of 
these Germans they may in time come to an understanding with 
ours ; and indeed in the last war our Germans showed a general 
disposition that boded us no good. For. when the English who 
were not Quakers, alarmed by the danger arising from the de- 
fenseless state of our country, entered unanimously into an asso- 
ciation, and within this government and the lower countries 
raised, arms and disciplined near lo.cxx) men. the Germans, ex- 
cept a very few in proportion to their number, refused to engage 
in it. giving out. one amongst another, and even in point, that if 
they were quiet, the French, should they take the country would 
not molest them. At the same time abusing the Philadelphians 
for titting out privateers against tlie enemy and representing the 
trouble, hazard, an expense of defending the province, as a 
greater inconvenience than any that might be expected from the 
change of government. Yet I am not for refusing to admit tliem 
entirely into our colonies. .-Ul that seems to me necessan.- is to 
distribute them more equally, mix them with the English, estab- 
lish English schools where they are now too thickly settled : and 
take some care to prevent tlie practice lately fallen into by some 
of tlie sliip-owners of sweeping tlie German gaols to make up tlie 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 59 

number of their passengers. I say, I am not against the admis- 
sion of Germans in general, for they have their virtues. Their 
industry and frugality are exemplary. They are excellent hus- 
bandmen and contribute generally to the improvement of the 
country."^'* 

Peter Collinson having received Franklin's account of the 
condition of German affairs in the Colonies, answers this on the 
i2th of August, 1752, as follows: 

"Your impartial Account of the State of the Germans came 
very Seasonably to awake the Legislature to take some Measures 
to check the Increase of their Power. — A Copy was Desir'd by 
the Members for the German Affairs to show Mr. Pelham. . . . 
I have drawn up 7 proposals which you shall See. . . . 

"Hints Humbly proposed to Incorporate the Germans more 
with the English & check the Increase of their power. 

"i. To establish more English schools amongst the Germans. 

"2. To Encourage them to Learn English. To let an act of 
Parliament pass by Gr. Britain to disqualify every German from 
accepting a place of Trust or prominence Civil or military unless 
both He and His Children can speak English intelligibly. 

"3. To prohibit any Deeds, Bonds or Writings to be made 
in the German Language. 

"4. To suppress all German printing Houses that print only 
German. 

"5. To prohibit all importation of German books. 

"6. To encourage Marriages of Germans with English. 

"7. To Discourage the Sending More Germans to the Pro. 
of Pennsylvania."^^. 

(b) Abroad. 

Franklin knew well conditions of American trade in Ger- 
many. In his article entitled "The Interest of Great Britain Con- 
sidered with regard to Her Colonies and the acquisitions of 
Canada and Guadaloupe to which are added Observations con- 
cerning the increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries &c." 



" Amer. Philos. Society. Franklin Papers. 
"Amer. Philos. Society. 



Go Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

London. Printed for T. Becket, at Tullyhead near Surrey St. in 
the Strand. M D CC LX. . . ., speaking of the trade condi- 
tions says. "The inland parts of the continent of Europe are 
farther from the Sea than the limits of settlement proposed for 
America. Germany is full of tradesmen and artificers of all kinds 
and the governments there are not all of them always favorable 
to commerce of Britain, yet it is a well known fact that our 
manufactures find their way even into the heart of Germany. 
Ask the great manufacturers and merchants of the Leeds, Shef- 
field, Birmingham, Manchester and Norwich goods and they will 
tell you, that some of them send their riders frequently through 
France or Spain and Italy up to Vienna; and back through the 
middle and northern parts of Germany to show samples of their 
wares and collect orders, which they receive by almost every mail 
to a vast amount. Whatever charges arise on the carriage of the 
goods are added to the value, and all paid by the consumer. . . . 

"... I say if these nations purchase and consume such 
quantities of our goods, notwithstanding the remoteness of their 
situation from the sea ; how much less likely is it that the settlers 
in America, who must for ages be employed in agriculture chiefly, 
should make cheaper for themselves the goods our manufacturers 
at present supply them with ; . . ."^® 

He writes to John Winthrop from Paris, May i, 1777, this 
account of the conduct of the German princes: "The Conduct of 
those Princes of Germany, who have sold the Blood of their 
People, has subjected them to the Contempt and Odium of all 
Europe. The Prince of Anspach, whose recniits mutinied and 
refus'd to march, was obliged to disarm and fetter them and 
drive them to the sea side by the help of his Guards ; himself 
attending in Person in his return he was publicly hooted by ]\Iobs 
thro' every Town he passed in Holland, with all sorts of re- 
proachful Epithets. The King of Prussia's Humour of obliging 
those Princes to pay him the same Toll per Head for the Men 
they drive thro' his Dominions, as used to be paid him for their 



" Sparks. Franklin, Vol. 7, p. 71 ff. Philadelphia Historical Society. 
Presented to Rev. Dr. Mayheiv, from his humble senant, the Author. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 6i 

Cattle, because they were sold as such, is generally spoken of 
with Approbation, as containing a just reproof of those 
Tyrants."^"^ 

Franklin has treated again the sale of the Hessians in one 
of his Jeux d'esprit, a "Letter written from the Count De Schaum- 
bergh to the Baron Hohendorf, Commanding the Hessian Troop 
in America". He also showed his keen wit in his "Edict of the 
King of Prussia", which stirred up so much excitement in England 
at the time of its appearance. So true was the delineation of the 
King of Prussia's character, that many felt confident of the au- 
thenticity of this edict. 

(c) Franklin's Knowledge of the German Language. 

How much knowledge did Franklin have of the German 
language ? We read in a letter to Cadwallader Colden, Philadel- 
phia, September 14, 1752, the following: "Send me if you please, 
the translation of your piece into High Dutch. I understand a 
little of the German language and will peruse and return it."^^ 

On June 21, 1782, he writes to Ingen Housz : "The Imperial 
Ambassador has had the Goodness two or three times to offer 
the conveyance of Letters to you ; and I have so often promised to 
make use of that conveyance & fully intended it but something 
or other had always prevented it. I have a few days since re- 
ceived your favor of April 24th, thro' the hands of Mr. Fave, who 
is so kind as to promise taking care of an Answer & it is to his 
care that I propose committing this. He had also delivered to 
me the German Edition of your Opuscule. There are several 
places in it which I much desire to read ; but I will wait for the 
French, as that will be easier for me, having for these many years 
been but little accustomed to the German."^® 

Again : "I should be glad to see your Piece on the Electro- 
phore when it is published in English or French. I do not en- 
tirely read the German." October 2, 1781.^^ 



"The Library of Congress. The American Philosophical Society. Hale, 
Franklin in France, Vol. I, p. 106. 
" Smyth, Vol. 3, p. 98. 
" Smyth, Vol. 8, p. 312. 
** American Philosophical Society. 



62 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

On the top of a German letter from Baron von Steuben to 
Franklin, January i, 1783, inquiring as to the welfare of his son, 
General Lieutenant von Steuben, the Doctor has written, */Mr. 
Franklin wishes to know the purport of this letter". This shows 
again his limited knowledge of German. 

Franklin, in a letter to David Hume in answer to a remon- 
strance by that gentleman against the introduction of newly 
coined words in the Canada Pamphlet, gives us the impression 
that he was not entirely ignorant of German literary style when 
he says : "The introducing new words when we are already pos- 
sessed of old ones sufficiently expressive I confess must be gen- 
erally wrong, as it tends to change the language, yet at the same 
time, I cannot but wish the useage of our tongue permitted mak- 
ing new words, when we want them, by composition of old ones, 
whose meanings are already well understood. The German allows 
of it. and it is a common practice with their writers. "^^ 

*" Smyth. Vol. I, p. 41. 



CHAPTER V. 

Franklin's Fame in Europe — Germany. 

Franklin's fame in Europe reached far beyond the boundaries 
of France, in fact stretched across the continent from Russia into 
Spain. He enjoyed the honor of being a member or associate 
member of the following foreign institutions: 

1. Fellow of the Royal Society of London, 1756. 

2. University of St. Andrew's, Scotland, 1759. 

3. Member of the Royal Society of Sciences, Gottingen, 
1766. 

4. Learned Society of Sciences, Rotterdam, 1771. 

5. Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, 1772. 

(One of eight foreign members.) 

6. Royal Medical Society of Paris, 1777. 

7. Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts, Padua, 1781. 

8. Royal Society at Edinburgh, 1783. 

9. Royal Society of Physics, National History and Arts of 
Orleans, March 18, 1785. 

10. Academy of Sciences, Literature and Arts of Lyons, 
June 2, 1785. 

11. Society of Agriculture, Milan, 1786. 

12. Honorable Member of Medical Society in London, 1787. 

13. Imperial Academy of Sciences of Saint Petersburg, 1789. . 

Europe was thrilled to its depth by the answer which Frank- 
lin had given to their eager curiosity of natural phenomena. "The 
great epigram created by the good Turgot — Eripuit Caelo Ful- 
men Sceptrumque Tyrannis — explains the incredible almost fab- 
ulous popularity, in which Franklin was held in Europe. He 
was the living presence of the new age, the incarnation of democ- 
racy, the successful antagonist of tyrants, the builder of happy 
states founded upon justice and freedom. With whatsoever 
modesty he disclaimed the honor of Turgot's epigram the world 
persisted in imputing to him alone the creation of the Republic 
and the triumphant leadership of the 'dear insurgents'.""''' 



*" Smyth, Vol. 10, p. 361. 

(63) 



64 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Again we read a German appreciation of Franklin ("Der 
schlaue Franklin", as he is often called) as follows: "Der Natur- 
mensch Rousseaus war ein Traumgebilde, die Helden Plutarchs 
lebten nur noch in der Phantasie, aber der schlaue Quaker Frank- 
lin war handhafte Wirklichkeit. Der beriihmte Erfinder des Blitz- 
ableiters, der aus einem armen Setzerlehrling sich durch eigene 
Kraft zu einem der ersten Manner seines Volkes emporgearbeitet 
hatte, nahm sich von der Uberbildung kranken Frankreichs wirk- 
lich aus, wie der Sendling einer neuen Welt und einer besseren 
Zeit."*'^ 

(a) Franklin's Reputation in the Eighteenth Century in Germany. 

The first mention of Dr. Franklin in German literature of 
the eighteenth century we find in a book of travel, written by 
Peter Kalm, the Swedish investigator, sent to North America at 
the cost of the Swedish Academy of Sciences. This work was 
translated into German by Johann Andreas Murray, who was 
Professor of Botany at the University of Gottingen, when Frank- 
lin visited there in 1766.*^^ 

Professor Murray tells us, speaking of the frequent refer- 
ences made by Kalm to information gained from Franklin: "Der 
Verfasser beruft sich auch ofters auf H. Franklin; aber hat ihn 
nicht allezeit genau genug verstanden." In Vol. II, we read: "Der 
Herr Benjamin Franklin dem Pennsylvanie fiir so viele Ver- 
dienste um sein Wohlergeben und die gelehrte Welt, iur die vielen 
neuen Entdeckungen in der Electricitat verpflichtet ist, war der 
erste, der mich bekannt machte. Er gab mir notigen Unterricht, 
und erwies mir seine Gewogenheit auf mannigfaltige Art." This 
is Kalm's acknowledgment of Franklin's letters of intr<iduction 
to friends and institutions in America. Franklin always took a 
keen interest in all scientific investigations, and he frequently 



^ Das Zeitaltcr Fricdrich dcs Grosscn. Dr. Wilhelm. Oncken, Bd. II. 
S. 730. 

'* Sammlung neuer und mcrkwiirdiger Rcisen en IVasser und ctt Lande. 
X. Theil. Beschreibung der Reise. die er (Herr Peter Kalm) nach nordli- 
chem Amerika auf den Befehl gedachter Akademie und offentliche Kosten 
unternommen hat. Bd. I, II, III. Gottingen, 1754. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 65 

mentions this explorer in his correspondence, but "Herr Frankhn 
hat das Kalmische Werk nicht eher, als in Hannover aus dcr 
deiitschen Ubersetzung kennen lernen". Kahn's discussion of 
the growth in population in Pennsylvania, inckiding the cok^nial 
laws and conditions with methods of district voting compared 
with statutes, laws and common law of England, and the birth 
and growth of the University of Pennsylvania— all these details, 
as he says, he owed to the generosity of Franklin. 

In the Vorrede des Uhersetsers in the book entitled, Des 
Herrn Benjamin Franklins, Esq., Briefe von der Elektricim. 
Aus dem Englischen iibersetzt, nebst Anmerkungen von J. C. 
Wilcke, Leipzig, 1758, we read: 

"Herr Franklin, ein geschickter Buchhandler zu Philadel- 
phia, in Nordamerika, ward durch die zur Elektricitat gehorigen 
VVerkzeuge und die derselben beigefiigte Anweisung solche zu ge- 
brauchen, welche ihm aus London iibersandt worden, aufgemun- 
tert und in den Stand gesetzt, diese Versuche in diesem ent fern- 
ten Welttheile bekannt zu machen, und sich auf eine vorzugliche 
Weise damit zu beschaftigen. Wie gross der Fortgang sei,''wel-- 
Chen der arbeitsamme Fleiss dieses geschickten Mannes in dieser 
Sache gemachet habe, kann man aus gegenwartigen Briefen er- 
sehen, welche dieselben Gedanken und Erklarungen enthalten. 
Diese zeigen deutlich die grossen Vorteile welche denen Wissen- 
schaften dadurch gewachsen konnen wenn Leuten von Lust, 
Trieb und Fahigkeiten Gelegenheit gegeben wird, ihren Fleiss in 
Schwung und Ausubung zu setzen. Man erhalt hier aus den 
Hahden des Amerikaners eine Schrift, welche auch in dem Vater- 
lande der Elektricitat lehrreich bleibt. 

"Herr Franklin hat seine Erfindungen und Arbeiten seinen 
Freunden in London, besonders dem Herrn Collinson, in verschie- 
denen Briefen und kleinen Abhandlungen mitgetheilt. Dieselben 
sind in dreyen kleinen Theilen zusammengedruckt und unter dem 
Titel: 

"New experiments and observations on Electricity, made at 
Philadelphia in America, by Mr. Benjamin Franklin, and com- 
municated in several letters to Mr. Collinson at London. F. R. S. 



66 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

London. Printed in fold by E. Cave, and at St. John's Gate, 
1 75 1, in 4to. bekannt bemachet. 

"Die Seltenheit dieser Schrift in unseren Gegenden, die 
Wichtigkeit derselben, iind der grosse Vortheil welchen ich sel- 
ber daraus gezogen liabe, haben mich veranlasset, dieselbe in einer 
deutschen tJbersetziing bekannter zu machen. Ich kann mein Ur- 
theil zwar fiir keine Entscheidiing imd Bestimmung des Werthes 
eines Buches ansehen; so viel muss ich aber gestehen, dass ich 
diese Schrift werth halte, allgemeiner bekannt. nnd denen Vor- 
urtheilen entrissen zu werden, welche man haufig gegen dieselbige 
findet. ... Ich zog aus dem System des Herrn FrankUns eine 
Menge von SchUissen und Folgerungen heraus. Auf diese bauete 
ich den Entwurf von neuen Versuchen, welche diese Satze durch 
ihren Erfolg entweder bestatigen, oder umstossen mussten. So 
viel ich von diesen Versuchen ins Werk setzete. so viel neue 
Griinde und Beweise fand ich fiir die Richtigkeit des Systems 
und der Erklarung des Herrn Franklins. Die einigen Versuche 
desselben, habe ich sehr ofte und allezeit mit dem glucklichsten 
Erfolge wiederholt, und kann daher mit Zuversicht behaupten, 
dass sie wahr und ohne Fehler sind ; und dass man den von Herrn 
Franklin vorgegebenen Erfolg niemals verfehlen werde, vvenn 
man sich nur die Miihe gegeben hat, von dem Zusammenhange 
des ganzen Systems und denen besondern Fallen desselben, wel- 
che hin und wieder einen Einfluss haben konnen, sich einen all- 
gemeinen und deutlichen Begriff zu machen. 

"Weil ich hievon gewiss bin, hat es mich um destomehr be- 
f reundet, dass ein beriihmter und mit den elektrischen Versuchen 
sehr bekannter Naturforscher in Frankreich, der Herr Abt Nol- 
let. dieser Schrift des Herrn Franklin einc so scharfe Critik ent- 
gegengesetzet hat, als man in diesen Briefen von der Elektricitat 
findet. . . . Die Lehre des Herrn Franklins ist in Frankreich so 
wohl aufgenommen worden, dass sie der, nach des Herrn Nol- 
let's Meinung, von der franzosischen Academic der Wissenschaf- 
ten fiir Souverain erklarten Hypothese desselben, welche er in 
den Mem aires vom Jahre 1/43 Conjectures stir les causes de 
I'Electricite des corps, und in seinem Essai sur VElectricite des 
corps, vorgetragen hat. . . . Ich bin versichert, Herr Frank- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 67 

lit! werde nichts verlieren, ... Die Versuche des Herrii 
Franklin sind richtig; sie haben aber nicht die Kraft, welche 
Herr Nollet ihnen zutrauet ; weil sie als so viele Beweise fiir die 
Theorie Herrn Franklins konnen angesehen werden, als fiir Wie- 
derlegungen derselben. . . . Es kommt gewiss Vieles in seinen 
Brie fen vor, wogegen ein jeder Physicus eben die billigen Zweifel 
vorbringen wiirde, welche der Herr Abt Nollet denselben entge- 
gen setzet. . . . 

''Die Ausbreitung der Theorie von der Electricitat ist ein 
vorziigliches Stiick derselben. Ich sage die Ausbreitung dieser 
Theorie. Das System selber und die Grundsatze davon, welche 
ich in aller Kiirze entwerfen will, sind keine Erfindungen des 
Herrn Franklins. . . ." He continues with a discussion of the 
various methods of electricity and numerous experiments from 
noted scientists, such as Watson, Ellicot, Waiz and others. 

"Die Verdienste des Herrn Franklins um diese Theorie sind 
dennoch gross. Er hat dieselbe nicht nur in ein helleres Licht ge- 
setzet; sondern hat sie auch auf die Ladungs- oder Erschiitte- 
rungsversuche, die unter den Namen der Leidnischen und Mu- 
schenbroeckischen allgemein bekannt sind, und von welchen man 
bisher keine natiirliche und sinnreiche Art angewandt. Hat er 
hierbey ein wenig zu viel gekunstelt, so bleibt dennoch hier alle 
Zeit mehr Natur, als in anderen unglaublichen Erklarungen. 

"Man kann aber mit recht behaupten, dass keiner auf diese 
merkwiirdige Erscheinung ein so aufmerksames Auge gewandt 
hat, als unser Herr Franklin, und dass keiner eine der Natur so 
gemasse Erklarung derselben gegeben habe als eben er. . . . 

"Es ist allgemein bekannt, dass wir Herrn Franklin die 
Kenntniss der Gewitterselektrizitat zu danken haben. Man hat 
zwar vor ihm, allerley Gedanken von der Ahnlichkeit der Blitze 
mit der Elektricitat vorgetragen ; dieses sind aber bis dahin lauter 
Muthmassungen gewesen. Und obgleich Herr Franklin nicht 
der Erste geworden ist welcher diese Versuche ins Werk gerich- 
tet hat ; so hat er dieselben dennoch schon so deutlich entworfen 
und vorgeschlagen, dass ihm der Ruhm dieser Erfindung gar 
nicht streitig gemachet werden kann. . . ." Thus we see from 
this early translation of Franklin's ideas a just appreciation of 



68 Bcnjauiin Franklin and Germany 

the valuable discoveries which Franklin had made. His fame 
took firm root in German soil and added more splendor to his 
growing European glory. 

In the Hannoverischcs Magazin, ly Stuck, Friday, February 
2"/, 1767, appeared this article, Einigc Anmcrkungcn i'lhcr Nord- 
amcrika und iibcr dasigc GrossbritanniscJic Colonicn. Aus miind- 
lichen Nachrichten des Herrn Dr. Franklins, von Herrn Hofrath 
Achenwall: "So weit gehen die Nachrichten des Herrn Dr. 
Franklin, die ich grossentheils als Antworten auf meine Anfra- 
gen erhalten habe, ob ich gleich nicht allc Worte und Ausdriicke 
auf seine Reclmung schreiben kann. Hie tmd da ist etwas zur 
Erlauterung von mir eingeschoben worden, und daher gehort 
was in Klamern eingeschlossen ist."''^ He continues with an 
appreciation of Professor Kalm's knowledge of America, since 
he had been granted the opportunity of discussing the matter for 
several months with Dr. Franklin, while his own questions were 
limited by the brevity of his interview with this celebrated man. 
These Anmcrkungcn by Dr. Gottfried Achenwall went through 
three editions. The second edition, published in Frankfurt 
( Stuttgart). 1769, was the same in content as the first edition of 
Gottingen, 1767. The third edition published in Helmstedt, 
I y-jy, is composed of 94 pages, containing in addition to Achen- 
wall's Anmcrkungcn, the ScJirift ran den Strcifigkeifen uiit den 
Colonicn in Amcrika, written by John Wesley. The matter 
stands undisputed, that this work was read with interest by the 
German public. Many discrepancies on American affairs crept 
into these pages, especially the treatment of the North American 
Indians, where the author, no doubt, allowed his imagination full 
swing, since it seems hardly credible, that Franklin would have 
misinformed him on a subject with which he himself was so per- 
fectly familiar. Mr. Gallinger, on page 8 of his dissertation, says 
this work was "die einzige Darstellung des Verfassungskampfes 
in deutscher Sprache. die vor dem Jahre 1776 erchien." Further 
mention of this same report on American colonial affairs, as 
treated by Achenwall, we find in Samndung ncuer Rcisebcschrei- 



*' Achenwall, Anmerkungen (1767) y P- 5o6. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 69 

hungen aus fremden Sprachen, by Johann Tobias Kohler, Got- 
tingen und Gotha, 1769, who refers to its appearance in the Han- 
novcrisches Magazin.^^ 

We find Frankhn's name mentioned next thus : "Paine's 
Common Sense — ein Werk das man damals gewohnhch Samuel 
Adams oder Franklin und Adams zuschrieb, in Schubarts Deut- 
sche Chronik, Ulm, 1 774-1 777. 

August Ludwig Schlozer in his Erstes Heft des neuen Brief- 
zvcchscl, Gottingen, 1776, discussing the Aufruhr in Amerika, 
page 49, writes : 

"Herr Franklin, dieser warme, aufgeklarte und ehrliche 
Verteidiger der Nord-Amerikaner, wurde bekanntlich im Feb- 
ruar, 1766, im Parlament, als iiber die Widerrufung der Stem- 
pelakte gehandelt wurde, iiber verschiedene Dinge gerichtlich be- 
fragt. Das ganze Verhor ist bereits deutsch gedruckt, aber in 
einem Buche, wo es niemand such : In Olaf Toren's Reise nach 
Surate. Leipzig, 1772. S. 209-238. Ich zeichne hier einige 
Antworten aus, die verschiedenen Stellen dieses Briefes viel Licht 
geben." He quotes exactly Franklin's definition of the Tea Tax 
thus: 

"Fine ausserliche Taxe ist eine Angabe, die man auf die 
Waren gelegt hat, welche man zu uns bringt ; man schlagt sie auf 
den Wert der Sache und zu anderen Kosten die sie begleiten; 
sie und auch ein Theil des Preises. Gefallt die Ware dem Kau- 
fer nicht um den Preis, so nimmt er sie nicht, und er braucht 
Auflage nicht zu bezahlen." We must remember that Schlozer 
knew Franklin personally, having met him at Miihlhausen's 
table in Gottingen. 

In the Wochentliche Nachrichten, Berlin, 1776, for the i6th 
of December, Jacob Mauvillon asserts that the politician Pinto 
received from Lord North fifty guineas to disparage the colonies. 
Schlozer speaking of Franklin's examination before Parliament 
says : "Herr Franklin, dieser warme, aufgeklarte und ehrliche 
Verteidiger der Nord-Amerikaner, wurde bekanntlich im Feb - 



" Sammlung ncuer Reiscbeschreibung aus frcmdcn Sprachen. Kohler, 
p. 329. {Franklin's Nachricten von Nordamerika.) 



70 Bcnjmiiin Franklin ami Germany 

ruar, 1766, im Parlament, als iiber Widcrrufung der Stempel- 
Acte gehandelt wiirde, iiber verschiedene Dinge gericlitlich be- 
fragt. Das ganze Verhor ist bereits deutsch gedruckt, aber in 
einem Buclie wo es niemand siicht : In Olof Toren's Rcise nacli 
Surat, 1772. S. 209-238. Ich zeichne hier einige Antworten 
aus, die verschiedenen Stellen dieses Briefes ungemein viel Licht 
geben ; iind zugleich beweisen wie sehr das jetzige Betragen der 
Kolonien bei Gelegenheit der Thee-Acte, ihren eigenen im Jahre 
1 766 durch ihren Anwalt vor dem Parlament geausserten Grund- 
satzen wiederspreche." He here gives the general details of 
Franklin's interview before Parliament citing questions and 
answers. 

In Der Deutselie Merkiir (April, 1777) Fortsetzung der neu- 
esten politischen Gerichte, page 74, we read : "Nie kann ein Mann 
ratselhafter und unerwarteter aus der Neuen in die Alte Welt 
iiberkommen, als im letzten December der beriihmte Franklin. 
Ein amerikanisches Schiff brachte ihn nach Frankreich, er wohnte 
bei Deane, und doch wollte man wissen, dass er auf die konig- 
liche Parthei getreten sei. Andere meinen, er sei nur gekommen 
um mit den Encyclopadisten zu philosophiren, andere lassen ihn 
mit den Franzosischen IMinisterien negotiren. Der Konig von 
Preussen soil ihn zu sich berufen haben, doch hort man noch 
nicht, dass der Weise von Philadelphia auf dem Wege zu dem 
Weisen von Sans Soucie sei." So we see that Wieland knew the 
conditions of American politics on foreign shores, and felt keen 
interest in the actions of such a celebrated colonist and American 
patriot as Dr. Franklin. 

There is in The Polyanthos of Boston,, for January, 1807, 
page 99, an anecdote which describes the supposed meeting of 
Frederick the Great at Sans Souci and Franklin which runs as 
follows: "Frederick the Great was fully sensible of the con- 
tagious nature of liberty. He knew the spirit of freedom was 
epidemical; and he did not choose to employ his subjects in any 
mode that could put them in the way of catching the disorder. 
When Dr. Franklin applied to him to lend his assistance to 
America, Tray, Dr. (says the veteran), what is the object they 
mean to attain?' 'Liberty, Sire (replied the philosopher), lib- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 71 

erty — that freedom which is the birthright of man!' The king, 
after a short pause, made this memorable answer: 'I was born a 
prince ; I am become a king : and I will not use the power I pos- 
sess to the ruin of my trade — I was born to command — and the 
people born to obey'." 

In the Deutsches Museum, Bd. II, July to December, 1782, 
we find on page 473 : "Ein Brief Rechtschreibung betreffend aus 
des berijhmten Benjamin Franklins Political, Miscellaneous and 
Philosophical Pieces (p. 473) iibersctzt." This reference is made 
with the following note on Franklin's ideas of corrected orthog- 
raphy, which was particularly interesting to the Germans of this 
time : "Herr Franklin war namlich auf den Gedanken verfallen 
(den man fiir natiirlich halten sollte), dass, da die Buchstaben- 
Schrift eigentlich dazu bestimmt ist die Tonsprache dem Gesicht 
dazustellen, so miisse jeder besondere Schal sein eignes Zeichen 
haben." The author continues with the most minute details and 
examples taken from Franklin's own writings. 

Ludwig Meyer von Kronau expressed his personal interest 
in the North American heroes and affairs thus : 

"Das wichtigste historische Ereigniss wahrend meiner Kind- 
heit war die Losreissung der nordamerikanischen Kolonien (der 
Vereinigten Staaten) von dem Mutterlande Grossbritannien fiir 
welche der Kaiser Joseph und der Kanton Schweiz meine Umge- 
bungen so viele Zeit iibrig liessen, um ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf 
sie wenden zu lassen. Noch erinnere ich mich deutlich, dass die 
nordamerikanische Sache, Franklin, Washington und andere 
Manner . . . Teilnahme fiir sich erregten' . . . das In- 
teresse welches Franklin, ebenso Lafayette und seine Mitstreiter 
erregten. '"^^ 

J. E. Biester in an article entitled Etwas liber Benjamin 
Franklin, appearing in the Bcrlinische Monatsschrift,^^ II. Band, 
Berlin, 1783, gives us as an introduction, the enthusiastic letter 
of his friend George Forster. This letter, dated April 24, 1783, 
contained a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, and reads thus: 



*' Lebenserinnernngen von Ludwig Meyer von Kronau, 1769-1841, Ceroid 
Meyer von Kronan, S. 10 (1783)- 
* S. 11-^. 



^2 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

S. II flf.): 

"(Franklin's Bildnis, das unsere Leser, in einem sorgfalti- 
gen und treucn Nachstiche diesem Stiicke vorgesetzt finden), soil 
Ihnen, nicin lieber Biester, fiir meine Bereitvvilligkeit biirgen. Ich 
habe den ehrlichen. den grosscn Franklin zu lieb dass ich ihn 
nicht in nieiner Stube vor Augen zu haben wiinschen sollte. Da- 
her liess ich mir einen Abdruck des schonen Kiipfers, welches 
vor seinen 'Political, Miscellaneous and Philosophical Pieces' 
steht. durch einen gutcn Freund (Herrn Vaughan. den Heraus- 
gebcr dieser Pieces) koninien und in Rahmen tassen. Hier ha- 
ben Sie es. lassen Sie es kopieren, denn es ist sehr getreu. ohne 
alien Vergleich besser, als alle franzisirte Bildnisse des beriihm- 
ten ]\Iannes (man muss sich erinnern dass Herr Forster Frank- 
linen personlich kennt) und das ist der Miihe wert, das Bild eines 
solchen Menschen in einem solchen Zeitpunkt unter solchen Zeit- 
genossen zu vervielfiiltigen ! Wegen Nachrichten von Franklins 
Leben weiss ich Ihnen nichts zu lie fern." He already makes 
note that the date of Franklin's birth, January 17, 1706, at Bos- 
ton, is marked upon the copper plate. . . . "Seine Lebensge- 
schichte recht nur von iMeisterhand bearbeitet. wird in Ihrer Mo- 
natsschrift eine kostliche Perle sein. . . . Denn der selbst- 
denkende, erfinderische Kopf, helle Verstand, der richtige tiefe 
philosophische Blick in Natur und Wissenschaft in das All unse- 
rer Verhaltnisse und in das Gewebe von Guten und Bosen, wo- 
raus wie aus Aufzug und Einschlag das grosse Lebensgespenst 
besteht — der ist gewiss ein Phanomen in unseren Zeiten ; audi 
ohne die Rolle die er mit so ganz unbegreiflichem Erfolge ge- 
spielt. und worin die Vorsehung ihr Recht, die Schicksale der 
Volker zu wagen und das *Mene Mene. Tekel' dariiber zu spre- 
chen so sicherlich behauptet hat." 

Biester felt confident that his readers would partake of the 
noble enthusiasm for Franklin, which his friend so deeply felt 
and regrets that his knowledge of the life of this American was 
so limited. The early strivings and endeavors of the poor 
printer, who attained at the age of yy such a lofty position, as 
the representative of his native land at foreign courts afforded to 
the mind of the author an example that was worthy of emulation 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 73 

by his fellow-countrymen. He gives a list of Franklin's honors 
and official positions. "Franklin's ganzer Titel, woraus man 
seine Kenntnisse, Amter und Beschaftigungen einigermassen er- 
sehen kann ist folgender: Der Rechte Doktor, Mitglied der 
koniglichcn Gesellschaften der Wissenschaften zu London, zu 
Paris, zu Gottingen und der batavischen Gesellschaft in Holland, 
u. s. w." He emphasizes the strong-minded and friendly soul, 
which the portrait seems to convey to the spectator. Then turn- 
ing to his works, which give even a clearer impression of his 
intellect, heart and character, he regrets that the German trans- 
lation of Franklin's works is so imperfect. "Auch seit einiger 
Zeit in einer deutschen tJbersetzung haben wir des Herrn D. B, 
Franklins samtliche Werke. Aus dem Englischen und Franzo- 
sischem iibersetzt. Von G. T. Wenzel, Dresden, 1780. In drei 
starken Grossoktav-Banden. Aber herzlich wiinschte ich, dass 
diese tJberstzung sich angenehmes fliessenderes Deutsch durch 
leichte Wendungen, und die ganze simple Grazie des Originals 
empfohle. 

"Franklin's grosse Verdienste um die Naturlehre sind be- 
kannt; sein Kompendium der Physik wird geschrieben, worin 
seiner nicht gedacht wird. Der Leser kann hier die vornehmsten 
von ihm behandelten Gegenstande iibersehen. In sehr vielen der- 
selben hat er Entdeckungen gemacht, wodurch die Wissenschaft 
ungemein fortgefiihrt und erweitert ist; in alien aber neue Ideen 
geliefert, die von der grossten Fruchtbarkeit sind." . . . Turn- 
ing to electricity he says : "Aber die Elektrizitat, diese merkwur- 
dige, und vielleicht noch immer nicht genug beobachtete, wenig- 
stens nicht genug angewandte Kraft der Natur, hat vorziiglidi 
ihn beschaftigt und vorziiglich grosse Entdeckungen von ihm 
aufzuweisen. Wer kennt nicht, wenigstens litterarisch, seine The- 
orie, die auch fast allgemein angenommen wird, und nun noch 
sehr wenige Gegner an Nollets Anhangern findet? Ein Vorzug 
den sie durch das sehr Leichte, Einfache und Natiirliche ihrer 
Grundsatze verdient, und bei den grossten Elektrikern Europas 
erhalten hat." ... He goes on to describe the electrical festi- 
val that was given under Dr. Franklin's direction on the banks 
of the Schuylkill, which the Doctor himself described in his letter 



74 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

to Peter Collinson. "Doch was schon allcin ilm unsterblich ma- 
chen miisste, ist die vorzuglich so praktische Anwendung der 
Lelire der Elektrizitat aiif die Theorie der Gewitter." Biester 
firmly asserts that Franklin was not the first who treated the 
subject of lightning, and that the electrical spark and storm ma- 
terial were one and the same thing. "[Franklin kam ziierst auf 
diesen Gedanken, der aber schon von Winkler in Leipzig in einem 
VVerke, das ein Jahr friiher gedruckt ward, vorgetragen ist nam- 
lich: 'die Starke der elektrischen Kraft des Wassers in glaser- 
nen Gefasser, welche durch den Miisschenbrockschen Versuch 
bekannt geworden,' Leipzig, 1746; wo das ganze Haiiptstiick um- 
standlich davon handelt.] Aber das grosse Verdienst hat er, 
dass er nun waiter schloss, man miisse den Blitz, wie die Elek- 
trizitat, ableiten konnen ; und dass er die Werkzeuge erfand, wel- 
che Schiffe, Hauser und die ganze Stadt sichern, welche die 
Herrschaft des menschlichen Geistes iiber die machtigsten Ele- 
mente und die furchtbarsten Symptome der Natur am deutlich- 
sten zeigen, und uns in den Stand setzen, mit Blitzen fast so 
sicher als mit gemalten Theaterflammen zu spielen." He con- 
tinues with a criticism of Franklin's hasty hypotheses, but grants 
him natural ability: "Franklin sagt eins von sich selbst: er hatte 
nicht Geduld genug um oft Versuche anzustellen, sein schneller 
feuriger Geist reisse ihn gleich zu Hypothesen hin. Allerdings 
ist es wohl wahr, dass seine anderweilige Thiitigkeit und vielleicht 
sein ganzer Charakter ihn hindert, Experimente auf die Art an- 
zustellen. . . . Aber er hat ein immer offenes Auge, einen 
immer wachen Beobachtungsgeist fiir alle Gegenstiinde der Natur 
und Kunst, die ihn umringen ; davon zeugen alle seine Brief e und 
all Erzahlungen seiner Theorien oder Hypothesen, die durch Be- 
merkungen auf seinen Reisen oder sonst bei ihm zur Reife kamen ; 
und diese Gabe der Natur ist vielleicht so stark bei ihm wcil kein 
eingesperrtes Gelehrtenleben sie friihe geschwacht hat. Uber die 
so bemerkten natiirlichen Phanomene, oder audi tiber Experi- 
mente, die seine Freunde ihm mitteilen, sinnt der aufmerksame 
Naturmann nach, halt sie mit vorigen Bemerkungen zusammen, 
und er schafift dann durch seinen scharfsinningen feinen Spiiren- 
geist so gliickliche Hypothesen, dass er uns die grosste Bewunde- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 75 

rung abzwingt. . . ." In regard to his style one of the best 
criticisms we have in the German language is this: "Sein Vor- 
trag ist, auch wohl eben darum, ungemein deutlich und vorziig- 
lich simpel; nie ein Anschein von Gelehrsamkeit, nirgends die 
Miene eines Kompendiums. Alles sind einzelne Bemerkungen 
mit ihrer ganzen Veranlassung uns angenehm erzahlt, kurze 
Satze, kleine Abhandlungen, leichte Briefe an Freunde, an Frau- 
enzimmer, u. s. w. Man nimmt Theil daran, man ermiidet nie, 
man findet so viel Abwechselung in der Darstellungsart als in 
den Gegenstanden selbst. Dieser feine Geist des Weltmanns, die- 
ser gesunde Natursinn des unpedantischen Weisen lebt und webt 
iiberall in seinen Schriften; und Munterkeit und Feuer zeigt sich 
auch in den spatesten Aufsatzen des liebenswiirdigen Greises." 

The discussion of Franklin's Harmonica shows the keen ap- 
preciation of this discovery. Franklin possessed musical knowl- 
edge and theoretical plans for musical improvements. "Das feine 
Gefiihl des iiberall wirksamen Mannes und das Universelle seines 
Originalgenies dehnte sich auch auf schone Kiinste aus. In den 
mehrsten angesehenen Stadten Deutschlands hat man wohl die 
Harmonika gehort, ein Instrument das an Zartheit und Siissig- 
keit so sehr zum Herzen spricht, wie sonst nie ohne Gesang ein 
Toninstrument that; und das jede Abstufung der Starke des 
Tons auf das Vollkommenste ausdriickt, und vorziiglich das 
sanfteste Piano was die Kunst kennt, angiebt. Dies entziickende 
Instrument ist von Franklins Erfindung. Die Beschreibung, die 
er selbst in seines Brief an P. Bekkaria in Turin davongiebt. . . . 
Auch finden sich einige theoretische Betrachtungen fiber die Mu- 
sik, vortreffliche Anmerkungen fiber den Gesang und das schick- 
liche Versmass eines Volksliedes, fiber die unruhige Deklamation 
unserer bewunderesten Arien." 

Franklin's activity in the political field is his next subject of 
discussion : 'Teh komme zu den wichtigern Beschaf tigungen des 
grossen Mannes, denn so glaube ich ist allerdings die Politik und 
Staatsokonomie zu nennen. Zwar hat mich der Brief des guten 
frommen Bekkaria an Franklin innig geriihrt, wo er seinen 
Freund beschwort, doch ja nicht die Physik fiir die Politik fahren 



76 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

zu lasscn, doch ja die ewigen Gesetze der Natur und des Schop- 
fers zu stiidiren als die veranderlichen iMnrichtungen schwacher 
Meiischen. . . . Aber soin ['"reiind sah, dass die Leidenschaftcn 
und Wiinsche der Menschen nach ebeiiso ewigen Gesetzen geord- 
net sind, als Aufgang und Niedergang der Gestirnc. Auch hier, 
wie bci der Physik, kann man Franklin's Verdienst uni die Theo- 
rie und uni die Anwendung untcrscheiden. Im Allgenieinen hat er 
die wichtigen Punkte in ein belles Licht gesetzt, als die Grund- 
satze von der Bevolkcrung, von der wahrscheinlichen Vermchrung 
der Menschen, voni Handel, von industrie, hauslichen Fleissc, 
voni Getreidepreise, von der Behandlung der Arnien, von Religi- 
onsduldung. ein um so wichtigerer Punkt, da die Intoleranz eini- 
ger Gegcnden von Nordanicrika (der Bostonianisnius) wcnig- 
stens ehedeni bekannt gcnug war. Die Hauptgrundsiitze der 
franzosischen Okonomisten, die von den deutschen Physiokraten 
angenonimen worden, hat er zusanimen gedriingt und vielleicht 
deutlicher vorgetragen, als von einem Schriftsteller diescr Partci 
selbst mag geschehen sein." 

On page 35 we read : 'A'on Franklin ist der mit Recht so 
bewunderte Aufsatz. Der arme Jaeob, der frei ubersetzt im zwei- 
ten Theile von Engels Der Philosoph fiir die Welt steht. Von 
Franklin ist vortreffliche Parabel im Stil des alten Testaments, 
von dem Fremden der Abraham besuchte und nicht auf gleiche 
Weise zu Gott betete, die im dritten Theile von Nicholais NotJi- 
anker steht. Von ihm ist auch eine scharfe Ironic von der Art, 
wie sie von nichreren Schriftstellern in England otter ist ge- 
braucht worden. "^^ 

Johann Jakob Moser in his book entitled Nord-Amerika 
naeh den Friedenssehliissen 7'om JaJire 178^, Band I, Seite 752. 
writes: "Das IMinisterium verfuhr zu hart gegen die Kolonien, 
und die Letztcren. triebcn ihre Beschwerden zu hoch . . . und 
hatten noch keine geniigsame Ursachen. sich der Oberherrschaft 
von Grossbrittanien zu entziehen ; ihre Haupter aber sahen mehr 
auf ihren eintraglichen Schleichhandel als auf Recht und Billig- 
keit und werden nebst dem sonst viele Verdienste habenden D. 



' Berlinische Monatsschriff, II. Bd., S. 11-38. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany yy 

Franklin, bei der jetzii^en unci ziikiinftigen ehrbaren Welt alle- 
mal als meineiclige Untertanen passieren." 

Again, we read S. 837 : "Nur ein Mann hat iiber die Ge- 
schichte seines Landes geschrieben, Franklin, aber sein Beispiel 
hat keinen Nachfolger gefunden. Der Amerikaner, der nur 
Schatze sammeln, nur gemessen will, ist iiberzeugt, dass die 
VVissenschaften nicht der Weg sind, der ihn zu seinem Zwecke 
fiihren konnte. . . . Washington und Franklin wollen uns die 
alten Klassiker bekannt machen." 

The Gothaer Gelehrte Zeitschrift, 1783, S. 262, makes 
mention of this article from a report from New York, printed 
the nth of November, 1782, where Moser says that Professor 
Achenwall was informed of America's condition by Dr. Frank- 
lin. (See Achenwall's Geschichte der englischen Kolonien. I. 
Th. S. 19 ff.) 

In the Berlinische Monatschrift, Berlin, Oktober, 1783, 
Band II, S. 307-308, we find an article entitled : Erinnerung 
gegen eine Stelle in Franklin's Lehen. Von Herrn Meissner: 

"Fiir den Aufsatz des Herrn D. Biesters fiber Franklin wer- 
den dem Verfasser gewiss viele Leser der Berlinischen Monats- 
schrift verbunden gewesen sein. Nur darin irrt er sich zum Er- 
finder der 'Geschichte von Abraham', die nachher dem Sebaldus 
Nothanker eingeschaltet worden. Franklin ist hier ein Wieder- 
erziihler dessen, was langst vor ihm der Perser Saadi erfunden 
oder auch vielleicht nur auf geschrieben hat. Bekannt ist dessel- 
ben Gel i Stan oder Rosenthal ; etwas minder sein Bustan oder 
Blumengarten. Doch verdiente auch dieser; denn er ist der er- 
habendsten Sentenzen, und der unterhaltendsten Geschichten voll. 
Da er schon seit vielen Jahren von mir gelesen und wiedergele- 
sen worden, so will ich Ihnen hier diese Geschichte abschreiben, 
wie sie im zweiten Abschnitte des zweiten Buches von Bustan 
steht." Here he includes the story entitled Schick Sadi, Persi- 
sches Rosenthal nebst Locmans Fabeln. Wittenberg und Zerbst. 
Bei Samuel Gottfried Zimmermann, 1775." 

We find in the Hislorisch-Genealogischer Calendar fiir 
1784, by Spener of Berlin, a portrait of Franklin, with this 
note beneath : "Dr. Franklin erhalt als Gesandter des Amerika- 
nischen Frey Staats seine erste Audienze in Frankreich zu Ver- 



78 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

sailles am 20ten Marz, 1788." It represents Franklin standing 
before the throne of Louis XVI, with eight councillors present 
in the background. No doubt Franklin had sent this portrait to 
Charles Spener, in answer to his request for material to be used 
in his almanac, which appeared under the title Ilistorisch- 
Genealogischer Calender, oder JohrbucJi dcr merkwilrdigsten 
Neuen IVelt-Begebenheiten fiir 1784, Leipzig, bei Spener von 
Berlin. On page 63 of this magazine we read this praise of 
Franklin: "Dieser eifrige warme Vertheidiger seiner Lands- 
leute, deni Amerika beynahe einzig seine Freiheit zu verdanken 
hat." Page 172: "Mit welch ein mannlicher Entschlossenheit, 
mit welch unermiideter Thiitigkeit und mit welch seltner Weis- 
heit" he performed all his political activities; and page 174: 
"Amerika wird ihm als seinem Schutzgott und Wohlthiiter Al- 
tare bauen, und auch den Namen des Mannes mit Achtung nen- 
nen, dem mit jedem Blitzableiter ein Monument errichtet wird." 

Johann Georg Zimmermann in Uher die Einsamkeii, Leip- 
zig, 1784, Band II, S. 9, says: "Eine Zahl Spindelgeister erin- 
nert man sich vielleicht die vor einigen Jahren sich uber alle 
Bande des Universums hinwegsetzen . . . Sie hatten das 
Aussere versucht. Aber sie waren weder Rousseau noch Frank- 
lin und in der menschlichen Gesellschaft was ein Rad ohne 
Zahne in einem Uhrwerk, welches nirgends ergreifen kann, und 
um es anstosst den ganzen Mechanismus verwirrte." On page 33 
Zimmermann praises Franklin's style of writing and repeats 
Biester's appreciation as already given. 

"Ein vortrefflicher deutscher Schriftsteller hat in einem mei- 
sterhaften Aufsatze iiber Franklin's Leben gesagt : Franklin's 
Vortrag habe nie einen Anschein von Gelehrsamkeit, nirgends 
die Miene eines Compendiums. . . ." Zimmermann later, how- 
ever, in reply to a letter from G. Sulzer on February 22, 1777, 
takes a different attitude toward this celebrated American, whom 
he sees so busied in the political meshes of diplomacy. He says : 
"Den ahen Franklin soil man nie fiir einen guten Mann gehalten 
haben."'^'> 



"" Boddemann, /. G. Zimmermann, S. 261 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 79 

M. C. Sprengel discusses the population of Pennsylvania with 
reference to the article by Achenwall in the Gottinger Calendar 
Uber den jetzigen N ordamerikanischen Krieg, page 103, but in the 
more important of these discussions is his opinion expressed thus : 
"Man Hess sich mit einigen Colonien in Unterhandlung ein, und 
damals war es wie Herr Franklin, dieser ei frige warme Verthei- 
diger seiner Landsleute, dem Amerika beinahe einzig seine Frei- 
heit zu verdanken hat, und aus dessen Schriften der Congress 
grossentheils seine Griinde zur Behauptung der nordamerikani- 
schen Gerechtsame gegen England entlehnt hat." Here he gives 
also details of Franklin's birth in Boston and describes the grow- 
ing spirit of freedom : "Diese Begriffe von biirgerlicher Frei- 
heit und Unabhiingigkeit erhellen, durch Vergleichung und Prii- 
fung in Franklin's philosophischem Kopfe, eine nahere richtige 
Verstimmung, und mit welch einer mannlichen Entschlossenheit, 
mit welch unermiideter Thatigkeit und mit seltener Weisheit er sie 
nachdem zum Gliick seines Vaterlandes angewendet hat, davon 
sind wir seine Zeitgenossen Zeugen gewesen, und vermoge des 
offentlichen Charakters, den er sowohl am englischen als am fran- 
zosischen Hofe bekleidet, von dem Gauge und Erfolge seiner Be- 
miihungen geniigsam unterrichtet."^^ (A portrait of Franklin as 
envoy at the Court of Versailles is given. ) He praises his politi- 
cal qualifications and his discoveries and considers that he filled 
in the cabinet the same important position that Washington occu- 
pied as head of the continental' forces. 

Charles Spent?*, author- of the Historisch-Genealogischer 
Calendar, ly'^Ar', writes to Franklin the following, showing us 
that Sprengel through him received direct information of Amer- 
ican conditions from Franklin, although no draft of the answer 
which Franklin made to these inquiries can be found : 
"Monsieur : 

"Ayant desein de publier vers la fin de septembre, un almanac 
americain en allemand pour I'Annee prochaine, & desirant le de- 
corer de plusieurs estamps y relatives, dont la composition ne doit 
point etre ideale ; c'est a vous Monsieur et a Votre portefeuille, 



''^ Geschichte der Revolution von Nord- Amerika, S. 162; von M. C. 
Sprengel, 1785. 



8o Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

qui doit etre tres riche en tout ce qui a rapport a Thistorie des 
Colonies anglo-americaines que j'ose recourir, bien que je n'aye 
point rhonneur a Vous etre connu. 

"Permettez Monsieur, que je Vous expose brievement le plan 
de cat Almanac et qu'ensuite je demande notre gracieuse assist- 
ance, soit pour des renseignements, soit pour les articles memes 
dont j'ai besoin et que certainement personne n'est mieux en etat 
de me f ournir que Vous ]\Ionsieur ! 

"L' Almanac contiendra en premier lieu I'liistorie de la Revo- 
lution d'apres les meilleurs Auteurs et les avis les plus veridiques 
que Ton ai pu je procurer, ce Sujet fera orner de gravcures his- 
toriques, representant les evenemens les plus remarquables de 
cette guerre. En second lieu : Galerie des grands hommes de 
I'amerique avec un precis de leur carriere politique ou militaire 
decoree de leurs portraits copies sur ceux desines par Du Simitier 
a Philadelphie et sur d'autres qui out paru en Angleterre. Come 
Vous tenez Monsieur en si haut sway parmi les grands hommes 
d I'Amerique — je vous demande, si votre Portrait, tel qu'il a 
ete grave en 1781 par Pelicier pour I'essay sur les Anglo Ameri- 
cains est assez resemblant pour pouvoir me servir de modele ? 

"La partie historique de cet Almanac etant confiee a un de 
nos meilleurs historiens le Sr. Sprengel, Professeur d'Historie d 
I'universite de Halle, qui possede fond 1 'anglais et toutes les con 
naissances & qualites qui constituent le bon historien, j'ose me 
flatter, que son Ouvrage meritera votre approbation. . . . 

"Enfin permettez moi d 'a j outer que le temps d'ici a la fin de 
septembre terme fini pour la publication des Almanacs de votre 
pays, n'etait gueres eloigne & I'execution des differentes gravurcs 
exigeant un temps considerable, en me fournissant bientot pos- 
sible les matereaux que me manquent vous ajouterez infiniment 
au prix du bienfait que je sollicite." He continues here with a 
plea for American portraits of such men as John Adams, Sr. 
Payne, Dr. Warren, who was killed at Bunker Hill, General 
Montgomery, and Sr. Paul Jones, Commodore in the service of 
the thirteen United States. He also asks for various coins of 
American money, for paper money, for the coat of arms of the 
colonies and for a minute description of the uniforms worn by 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 8i 

American troops and details of the lives of Washington and 
Gates with any other mementoes, that might be interesting and 
instructive to be embodied in his almanac. The above letter is 
signed by Charles Spener, librarian of the King, and written from 
Berlin the 26th of May, 1783J- 

"C. A. Meyer writes to Kronau from Rothenburg, February 
8, 1874, the following in praise of Franklin's construction of the 
Harmonica: "Auf Deroselben Schreiben vom 19 Jan. Melde Eu. 
in schuldiger Antwort, dass meine Harmonica von der Franklin- 
schen weiter nichts an sich hat, als die aussere Figur und Befesti- 
gung der Glocken. . . . Die Bewegung des P>anklinschen ist 
am Schwingrade mit einer Schleife angebracht; man kann nicht 
damit zwar die Glocken bewegen, allein beim Aufsteigen dersel- 
ben kann man nicht helfen, und beim Crescendo und Forte muss 
die Maschine leicht gehemmt werden und still stehen ; da man bei 
der Art, wie ich eingerichtet habe, durch am Fusstritt angebrach- 
ten Riemen, sowohl beim Auf- als Absteigen der Glocken, zu 
jederzeit der Bewegung neue Kraft geben kann.""^ 

In Georg Forster's Erinnerungen aus dem Jahre ijgo, Band 
VI, III. Teil; Kleine Schriften, S. 204-208, is a treatment of 
Benjamin Franklin: "Eripuit Caelo Fulmen, niox sceptra tyran- 
nis." "Wer sich unter dem Manne der dem Himmel seine Blitze 
und den Tyrannen ihre Scepter entwendete : einen Titanischen, 
einen hundertarmigen Riesen, oder einen von Menschenblut trie- 
fenden Eroberer vorgestellt hatte, der wiirde kaum glauben und 
begreifen konnen, dass die Ziige des hier beige fiigten Bildnisses 
jenem Wunderthate darstellen. So riitselhaft es aber klingen 
mag, so giebt es doch wirklich ein Mittel, womit man den Donner 
und seine irdischen Stellvertreter entwaffnen kann, ohne sich an 
die Spitze einer halben Million disciplinirter folgsamer Myrmi- 
donen zu stellen und einen unerschopfiichen Schatz zu besitzen; 



'"A. P. S. 

''^Journal von und fi'tr Dcutschland I/S4. Herausgegeben von Frh. von 
Bibra und Goekingk. Julius (1784), S. 3. 

Mention of Franklin in a Hamburg publication 1788: Ubcr das Rauchen 
der Katnine und der Schornsteinc in einem Schreiben des Iferrn Dr. Benja- 
min Franklin an Herrn Dr. Ingcnhonsz in IVicn. Aus dem Englischen iiber- 
setzt mit Anmerkungen vgn P. H. C. B. 



82 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

ja, was noch mehr ist, wenii man einen Menschen findet, der so 
aussieht wie dieser Benjamin Franklin, so darf man sich ziemlich 
sicher darauf verlassen, dass jenes Mittel bescheiden sei. Wir 
wollen uns zuvorderst die Ziige dieses merkwardigen Mannes von 
einem Dichter deuten lassen. 

"Sein offner Blick ist aller Wesen Freund ; 
Der innere Friedc ruht auf seinen Aiigenbrau'n, 
Und wie ein Fels, zu dem sich Wolken nie erheben, 
Scheint iiber'n Erdenstand die reine Stirn zu schweben, 
Den Rost der W-elt, der Leidenschaften Spur, 
Hat langst der Fluss der Zeit von ihr hinweggewaschen. 
Fiel eine Kron' ihm zu, und es bediirfte nur 
Sie mit der Hand im Fallen aufzuhaschen, 
Er streckte nicht die Hand. Verschlossen der Begier, 
Von keiner Furcht, von keinem Schmerz betroffen, 
Ist nur dem VVahren noch die heitere Seele offen, 
Nur offen der Natur, und rein gestimmt zu ihr. 

WiELAND. 



"So lange das Menschengeschlecht der Macht des Beispiels 
bedarf wird dieser Mann leben und wirken. Benjamin Franklin 
steht noch unter der kleinen y\nzahl von Menschen, in denen die 
Wiirde der menschlichen Natur in vollem Glanz erschienen ist. 
Darf der Name des Weisen einem Sterblichen beigelegt werden, 
so gebiihrt er dem Manne, der in unserem Zeitalter sich selbst 
einen so grossen Wirkungskreis schuf, ohne sich die geringste 
Beeintnichtigung eines Anderen zu erlauben ; der sein ganzes Le- 
ben der Belehrung seiner Landsleute widmete, ohne alle Anmas- 
sung ; der alles entbehren gelernt hatte und dennoch mit unermii- 
deter Thiitigkeit arbeitete ; der mit unbestechlicher V^ernunft bis 
an sein Ende, Freiheit, Gerechtigkeit, Frieden, Brudertreue, 
Liebe und gegenseitige Duldung predigte; und in jcder dieser 
Tugenden mit grossem Beispiele vorgirig. 

"Amerika ist gliicklich, dass es so bald nach der Griindung 
seiner gesitteten Staaten aus ihrem Schosse den Weisen hervor- 
gehen sah, dessen innere Harmonic, ihm gleichsam die Natur un- 
terwarf, ihn zur Entdeckung des Wahren in alien ihren Verhalt- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany g, 

nissen fiihrte, und ihn zum Lehrer seiner Bruder bestimmte Die 
Unabhang,gke,t vom brittischen Parlamente hatten die Ameri- 
kaner ohne ,l,n errungen: die moralische Freilieit, die heiliee 
Achtung fur die Vernunft in jedem einzelnen Menschen und die 
™.ge Anerkennung der Pfliclrt, eines Jeden Cberzeugung und 
Glauben zu ehren; dies alles, nebst manchen Anleitungen zur 
prakfschen Lebensweisheit und so manclren einfaclien, hauslichen 
Emnchungen, d,e in jenen angehenden Xiederlas ungen z " 

erTerSdtet'',f b"'T' ^"''"''^" ^'^ """■ °- Licln welches 
er verbre tete M.eb n.cht m e.nem Welttheil versehlossen : sein 
Bhck m dem mnern Zusammenhang der Natur kam auch Z 

tene der Gewtter m,t der zarten FKissigkeit die wir im Harz 
™ Bernstem, ,m Glas kannten und bereits durch Metall zu Idten 
wussten, ganz von einerlei Beschaffenheit sei, ehrte, er zu. ch 
das ilmel uns und unsere GebSude vor dem zandenden Biz 
strahl zu s.chern. Was er aber fur die Rechte vernun f tiger e 
sen tur d,e I-re,l,eit des Menschengeschleehts gesprochen und m U 
unwder egbaren Grunden fur seine Mitbufger, ins be ondTr 
onnenklar bew.esen hat, das steht auch diesseits des Ozeans est 

It " H^:: T '"^™ ''^ ^^'"™^' '■^ wilikuriichen Ge- 
va t. He strongly praises Franklin's abhorrence of bloodshed 
and love of peace. "Vernunft und nur durch Vernunft mSgli he 
Tugend also w.eder nur Vernunft und nichts als Vernunf 

bezwang . '''='• humansfe -Mensch und der glficklichste von 

a len, d,e ,m achtzehnten Jahrhundert zu Mitarbe.fern am g ossen 
Vollendungsuerk menschlicher Gltickseligkeit auserkoren ware 

r :::se:rF;a"nk," "•" ,^'" r"'"" -companying this Irt c e 
represents Franklms grandson kneeling before Voltaire while 
Frankhn w,th hands folded as in prajer, awaits the F e h 
ph.losophers benediction. "Gott, Freiheit, Friede. .Mit d e ,' 
Segenswortern weihte der Hinscheidende Greis Voltaire d n 
Junghng \ ,1 ham Temple Franklin zum Menschen Gott! Fre" 
he.t! Fnede! betete der alte Frankhn: und Gott. Freiheit und 
Friede waren in ihren Herzen." 



84 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Nekrolog auf das Jahr 1790. 

Friedrich Schlichtegroll. Gothe, 1791. Band I, S. 262-265. 
Den I7ten April. 

In a chapter entitled "Autoliiography" Schlichtegroll gives 
the following account, which he has taken from "Memoires de la 
vie Privee de Benjamin Franklin", Paris, 1791 : "In dieser Riick- 
sicht hiitte uns der imsterbliche Mann kein grosseres Geschick 
hinterlassen konnen, als die Geschichte seiner Jugend von ihm 
selbst geschrieben, deren Authenticitat, wenn gleich vor jetzt noch 
ohne weiteren Beweis aiis innern Griinden mehr als wahrschein- 
lich ist." On page 266 of this same article we read: "Alles ist 
da rathsellos und begreiflich und in unserer Erfahrung begriindet 
und darum wird uns der Mensch, der da ist, wie unser einer, und 
doch ausserordentliche Dingc bewirkte, nur um desto lieber. . . . 
Jedes Gewitter, dem wir nun mit Ruhe als einem priichtigen nicht 
mehr als einem furchtbaren Schauspiele zusehen, jeder Ton der 
siissesten aller kiinstlichen Harmonien, jedes Schiff aus dem 
freien Amerika soil uns an ihn erinnern, und es bedarf nur der 
einfachsten Darstellung dessen, was er war und gethan hat, um 
diese oftern Erinnerungen mit ebenso oft widerholten Gefiihlen 
der Bewunderung und Verehrung zu begleiten." 

In the Deutsches Magacin, C. N. D. von Eggers, Band VI, 
Dezember, 1793, Seite 1443, the author prints a letter of 
Dr. Franklin to the Abbe Soulaire in regard to the theory of 
Mines, not yet appearing in his collective works. We also read 
the following mention of two manuscripts of Dr. Franklin's 
which appear in none of his works. These are as follows: "i. 
Brief e an den Abt Soulaire in Anleihimg einigcr mir zugesand- 
ten Bemerkungen, die er aus meincr Unterrediing mit ihm i'lher 
die Theorie der Erde entlehnt hatte. 

"Passy, den 22. September, 1782. 
"Mein Herr : 

"Ich sende Ihnen das Manuscript mit einigen Berichtigungen 
zuriick. Ich fand keine Kohlenminen unter Kalkfelsen in Derby- 
shire. Ich bemerke bios, dass an den niedrigsten Stellen dieses 
felsigen Gebirgs die zu Tage lagen Austerschalen mit dem Ge- 
stein vermengt waren. . . ." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 85 

« 

2. The second manuscript is entitled Hingcworfenc Gcdan- 
kcn ilber ein allgemeines Fluidum. This letter containing the 
aboye speculation on general electrical fluid, its constituents and 
powers useful for discovery and experiment, was written from 
Passy the 25th of June, 1784. 

We read a reference to the following work of Franklin in 
Historischc Vcrgleichiing dcr Siften und Verfassungcn der Ge- 
sctze und Geivcrhc des Handcls und der Religion der IVissen- 
schaften und Lehranstalten. Ill Bande, Hannover, 1794. "Mem- 
oires de la vie privee de Benjamin Franklin ecrit par lui-meme, 
servi d'un precis historique de sa vie Politique, et de plusieurs 
pieces relatives a ce pcre de la liberte, Paris, 1791." 

Dr. B. Franklins erweitertes Lehrgebdude der natiirlichen Elek- 
trizitiit. D. E. G. Wien, 1790. — V orerinnerung . 

"Seitdem des verklarten verehrungswijrdigsten Vaters 
Franklins, der als Kiinstler die edle Buchdruckerei auch in Ame- 
rika fest grijndete, als Naturforscher die wohlthatige Erfindung 
f iir Menschen machte, erweiterte ; als Staatsmann und obrigkeit- 
liche Person den Grund mitlegte worauf nach und nach die 
amerikanischen freyen vereinigten Provinzen unerschiitterliche 
Wurzeln gewinnen, griinden und bliihen werden." 

(The seventh chapter of this book is entitled Briichstiicke als 
Materialien des Franklinschen Lehrgebdudes der natiirlichen at- 
mosphdrischen Elektrizitdt dantit zu erweitern u. zu befestigen. ) 

Franklins von ihm selbst verfertigte Grabschrift. 

"Hier liegt der Korper Benjamin Franklins, eines Buch- 
druckers, gleich dem Bande eines alten Buches, dessen Blatter 
abgenutzt sind, seiner Verzierungen und Vergoldungen beraubt, 
als Speise fiir die Wiirmer. Doch das Werk selbst wird nicht 
verloren gehen, sondern in einer neuen von dem Verfasser ver- 
besserten und vermehrten Ausgabe erscheinen." 

This Grabschrift is a translation made from Franklin's own 
inscription, as given to us in Handbibliothek fiir Freunde, by Jo- 
hann Kaspar ^.avater. Band VI, Seite 41, 1793. 



86 Benjamin Franklin and Crnnany 

In 1/94 C. Miloii published his DLiikzviirdigkcilcn zur Gc- 
schichtc Benjamin Franklins, in which his appreciation is clearly 
expressed thus : 

".\llein ich habe ungeachtet der Schwierigkeit eines sol- 
clien Unternehniens. der Begierde nicht widerstehen konnen, 
einen Versuch iiber das Leben dieses beriihniten Mannes zn 
schreiben. in welchem man den scharfsichtigcn Philosophen und 
den geschicksten Politiker erkennet. Da er das Innerste der 
menschlichen Natur gcnan kannte, so wusste er die Tngenden 
nnd die Liister. sowie die Thorheiten und Schwachheiten seiner 
Mitinenschen zu seineni eigenen Ansehen auf eine geschickte Art 
zu gebrauchen/' 

Dr. David Ramsay this same year gave his German transla- 
tion, Geseliiehte der anierikanisehen Rei'olittion aus den Akten 
des Congresses (aus dem Englischen). 

"In dieser Absicht (um einen biirgerlichen Krieg abzuwen-- 
den") hielten Dr. Fothergill, I Terr David Barclay und Dr. Frank- 
lin zu London verschiedene Conferenzen iiber die amerikanischen 
Angelegenheiten. Der letztere war ein Amerikaner von Geburt. 
der alle gute Menschen liebte und von alien geliebt ward." (S. 

"Franklin. Ilerr Adams und Herr Jefferson batten den Auf- 
trag Handlungsbiindnisse mit auswartigcn IMikhten zu schliessen. 
Es "elanc" ihnen bei dem Konig von Preussen und tlem Kaiser 
von ]\Iorocco." (S. 346. ) 

Benjamin Franklin. Kleine Sehriften. Aus dem Englischen. 
Appeared in Weimar. 1 794. from the pen of G. Schatz. On page 
2 he says : 

"Unter den grossen Miinnern die unser Jahrhundert hervor- 
gebracht hat, ist Franklin nach dem allgemeinen Urteil aller, die 
hieriiber eine Stimme haben, einer der Ersten. . . . Sein 
Ruhm und seine Grosse als Erfinder, als Staatsmann. als griind- 
licher Kenner von mehr als einer Wissenschaft, als lehrreichcr 
und geistvoller Schriftsteller sind entschieden. Die kleine Sehrif- 
fr,fi — Der grosste Theil derselben betrifft Gegenstiinde der Politik 
und Philosophic des Lebens. Audi der kleinste und minder wich- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 87 

tigste tragt unverkennbar das Geprage der Originalitat und ist 
wenigstens von einem Funken des Geistes l)cseclt, der wohin er 
audi niir eiiien fliichtigcn Blick war, iiberall Licht und Warme 
verbreitete." 

Dr. Benjamin Franklin's Leben. Tiibingcn, 1795. 
Seite 7 : 

"Dr. Benjamin Franklin ist einer von den wenigen Men- 
schen, die ganz allein durch eigene Anstrengung gross und be- 
riihmt geworden ist, ohne dass Rcichtum, oder vornchme Geburt 
oder Verbindungen mit machtigcn Menschen ihm zur Stiitze ge- 
dient hatten." 

b. Franklin in German Literature of the Nineteenth Century. 

Johann Christian August Bauer, in his book entitled Frank- 
lin und Washington, Berlin, 1806, Volume VIII, page 53, writes 
as follows : 

"Im Jahre 1742 machten mehrere deutsche Gelehrte elek- 
trische Versuche, vorziiglich der Professor Bose, in Wittemberg, 
Winkler in Leipzig, Gordon in Erfurt und Ludolf in Berlin, und 
setzten durch ihre Entdeckungen ganz Europa in Erstaunen. . . . 
Um das Jahr 1745 sendcte Collinson der Bibliothek-Gesellschaft 
von Philadelphia, eine genaue Beschreibung ihrer Entdeckungen, 
nebst eine Elektrisirmaschine, und die Anweisung sich ihrer zu 
bedienen. . . . Franklin und einige seiner Freunde machten 
sogleich eine Reihe Experimente. Er war bald im Stande, wich- 
tige Entdeckungen zu machen und gab den Grund verschiedener 
Erscheinungen an. Seine Ideen wurden gleich mit allgemeinem 
Beifall aufgenommcn und haben seinen Namen verewigt." 

The construction of Franklin's "Harmonika" is treated in 
detail in this work : 

Ernst Ludwig Gerber, Neties historisch-hiographisches Le.vi- 
kon der Tonkiinste, Band IV, 1812-1814. 

Ludwig Christian Lichtenberg und Friedrich Kries pub- 
lished Die vermischten Schriften, von Georg Christoph Lichten- 
berg. 



88 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

We find in Part V of this volume, page 316, a letter directed 
to I.ieutenant Rion, which runs thus: "Bei Lesung dieser Ge- 
schichle Helen niir einige Gedanken des grossen Franklin wieder 
ein, die er in eineni Schreiben an Herrn Le Roy zu Paris aus- 
scrte, und die von Comniandierenden sowohl als Eigentumern 
von Schiffen nie genug beherzigt werden konnen. Ich lese nun 
(schrieb der philosophische Greis im August 1785 und zwar auf 
dcr See an Bord des Londonschen Packetl)oots) fast siebzig ganze 
Jahre Zeitungen und wenige Jahre gingen vorbei, dass ich nicht 
Nachrichten gelesen hatte von Schiffen, die man ohne einem 
Seile an Bord und mit Wasser im Raum herumschurend ange- 
troffen hatte, oder von anderen die in gleichem Zustand ans 
Land geworfen waren." 

On page 318 he writes: "Franklin ist iiberzeugt, dass man 
dies Kriegschiff, wo wegen der Grosse der Conservation die 
Zahl der leeren Wasserfasser sehr betriichtlich sein muss, in der 
Schlacht noch vom Sinkcn hiitte gerettet werden konnen, wenn 
man es zur bestiindigen Regel gemacht hatte, die ausgetrunkenen 
Fasser jcdes ]\Ial fest zuzuschlagen und an solche Ortc der Ver- 
wahrung zu bringen, dass sie noch frei schwimmcn konnen." 

In an earlier edition of this work, Gottingcn, 1801, page 148, 
this reference is made : "Newton, Franklin, das waren Menschen 
die beneidcnswerth sind." 

Heinrich Eisner in Befreiungskampf der nordamerikani- 
seJien Sfaaten, mit de)i Lehensheschrcihungen der vier beriihmten 
A fanner derselben, Washington, Lafayette, Franklin und Kos- 
eiuzko, Stuttgart, 1835, pp. 658-691, discusses Franklin: 

"Franklin, dessen Name zwar nicht unter den Helden 
prangt, noch durch gliinzende, in die Augen fallende Handlun- 
gen beriihmt geworden ist, der aber durch seine stille X'erdienste 
um sein Vaterland cine Biirgerkrc^ne. durch seine Erfindungcn 
eine der ersten Stellen unter den \\'ohlthatern der Menschheit er- 
worben . . . mit seinem Leben darf man behaupten. ist eines 
der herrlichsten \\'eltlichter erloschen. . . . Vielleicht lebte 
nie ein ]Mann dessen Leben mit mehreren Rechten niitzlich ge- 
nannt werden kann. Nie ging etwas durch seine Hande, das er 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 89 

nicht vollkommen gemacht hatte. Sein ganzes Leben war eine 
Predigt gegen Eitelkeit, Uberschwenglichkeit uiid Stolz. Es war 
ihm Hauptzweck den Menscheii Liebe zum Fleiss, zur Massigkeit 
und Sparsamkeit einzuflossen und alle Pflichten einzuscharfen, 
welche die wichtigen Interessen der Menschheit fordern." 

Reference to Franklin's visit to Germany we find again on 
page 129 of The Life of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, written by him- 
self, to which are added essays by the same author, Mit einem 
IVorterbuch zum Schiil- und Privatgcbrauch, Carlsruhe, 1838: 

"In the year 1766 he made a visit to Holland and Germany 
and received greatest marks of attention from men of science." 

Dr. Bergk in Franklin's Goldnes Schatzkdstlein, Ouedlin- 
burg und Leipzig, 1839, in his Vorrede writes: "Was Franklin 
lehrt ist fast immer ausfiihrbar, was er sagt ist niitzlich und was 
er getan hat ist beinahe jeder Zeit der Nachahmung werth." 

G. B. Niebuhr in Geschichte des Zcitalters der Revolution, 
Bd. I, S. 93, Hamburg, 1845, discusses the American Revolution 
(Vorlesungen zu Bonn, 1829), and gives clearly his estimate of 
Franklin : 

"Die vornehmsten jungen Manner waren mit Enthusiasmus 
nach Amerika gegangen; Leute die nur Sybarinismus und Regel- 
losigkeit des Orients wiinschten, ergaben sich der Demokratie 
und huldigten der neuen Quakerrepublik und Franklin in seinem 
einfachen Quaker Kleide im Gegenstand der Bewegung der 
glanzendsten Damen von Paris. (Franklin ist keineswegs mein 
Held und es ist unbegreifhch wie man ihn in dem falschen Glanze 
stehen lassen kann, den man um ihn gebildet hat.)" 

In Leipzig, 1845, Julius Kell published his Lebensbcschrei- 
bung Benjamin Franklins. Clearly he approves of Franklin's 
life and activities : "Mochten doch recht Viele aus unserem Volke 
von dem Manne lernen, der so viel gelernt, so viel erlernt, so viel 
geredet, so viel gethan, der so viel gekampft hat. . . . Mochte 
die Geschichte des in Franklins Leben tief ergreifenden Frei- 
heitskampfes gegen den Druck Englands vor allem unseren, unter 
wohlwollenden Regierungen stehenden Staaten Deutschlands, zei- 
gen, wie viel sie an ihren guten Regierungen bereits habe " CS 
V-VI.) ^ 



90 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Heinrich Bettzeich-Beta Benjamin Franklin, sein Lehen, 
Denken iind IVirken, Leipzig, 1853, says page 2: ''l'>anklin ist 
eine Personlichkeit der anglosachsischen Wirtschaft unci Wissen- 
schaft in England, Amerika und Australia. . . . Franklin ist 
der wahre Goldmann. Er hat die Sparsamkcit erfnnden und die 
Harnionika verbessert." "So ist er der grosste Wirtschaflslehrer 
aller Zeitcn und Volker geworden." (P. 91.) 

This same year Theodor Ruprecht published Benjamin 
Franklin, Lehen und Sehriften. On page 6, we read : "Franklin 
hat seit fast einem Jahrhundert unbercchenbares Gut gestiftet. 
. . . Diese Sehriften und diese Biographic lie fern im Verein das 
Gesainnitbild eines nachahnicnswerthen Lcbcns und Strebens, das 
um so mehr Werth hat, weil es kein erfundenes, sondern ein 
wahres Lebensbild ist. . . . Franklin lehrt (nicht durch 
Worte, sondern durch sein Beispiel) dass die griindliche Bildung 
und die wahre Weisheit stets Theorie und Praxis engverbunden 
Hand in Hand gehen lasst. . . . Er empfiehlt durch sein Bei- 
spiel fruchtbares Wissen und erspriessliche Kenntnisse. . . .'' 

Page 8 : "Franklin verlangt Fleiss. Niichternheit, Sparsam- 
kcit, ausdriicklich als Mittel zum Lebensgliick; er zeugt, wie 
jene Tugenden zur Grundbedingungen des wahren Lebensgliicks 
f iihren ; namlich zur Unabhangigkeit. ..." 

F. C. Schlosser gives one of the best criticisms of Franklin 
that we find in German literature. This account we find in his 
Geschiehte des achtzehnten Jahrhiinderts und neunzehnten Jahr- 
hunderts, Heidelberg, 1853, Band IK, Seite 346: "Er (Franklin) 
war um 1765 schon seit dreissig Jahren als Griinder von Druck- 
ereien, als Urheber einer verbreiteten Zeitungs- und Journal- 
schreiberei und Druckerei, als Volksschriftsteller und IMoralist 
in Amerika, seit fiinfzehn in Europa als Physiker, Beobachter 
und Entdecker wichtiger Erscheinungen beriihmt." 

Speaking of Franklin's examination before Parliament in 
1766. he says, page 557: "Dass Franklin zum Diplomaten ge- 
borcn war, dass er die Tugend an den Nagel hangen konnte, 
wenn die Klugheit es forderte, und dass er wiederum don halben 
Quaker spielte wenn es forderte." Schlosser felt the importance 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 91 

of Franklin's diplomatic ability, but he did not omit to accord 
to him his just praise in literary fields. "Er ist daher ein niitzli- 
cher, ein brauchbarer, ein kluger und verstandiger, aber keines- 
wegs ein grosser Schriftsteller." His importance lies in his 
political activities : "Dass Franklin ein geborenes diplomatisches 
Genie war ; allein wir miissen hinzusetzen, dass er mit dem richti- 
gen und praktischen Takt und mit der kalten und berechenenden 
Klugheit des Diplomaten doch auch regen Eifer fiir das Wohl 
der Menschheit und eine milde, sanfte, verstandige Religiositat 
verband." Franklin's writings had influence upon all liberty- 
loving people (p. 560): "Als Schriftsteller der Demokratie 
wirkte er eben falls vierzig Jahre hindurch mehr praktisch als 
theoretisch, mehr moralisch und industriell als eigentlich poHtisch ; 
als Diplomat versteckte er unter den Aussern eines Naturkindes, 
den schlausten und ganz kalt berechnenden Staatsmann. 
Sowohl die Sprichworter des alten Heinrichs als die Weisheit des 
guten Richard, hatten in einem grossen Kreise dieselbc Wirkun- 
gen, welche Pestalozzi erster Teil von Lienhard und Gertrtid 
in einem engern in Deutschland und in der Schweiz hatte." 

We read in Benjamin Franklin — Bine Biographie von F. A. 
Mignet (aus dem franzosischen), von Dr. Ed. Burckhardt, Leip- 
zig. 1855. page 3, thus: "Wie aber Franklin ein Mann von Genie 
war, so war er auch ein Mann von klarem Verstand ; wie er ein 
tugendhafter Mann war, so war er auch ein ehrenhafter Mann; 
wie er ein ruhmgekronter Staatsmann, war, so war er auch ein 
hingebender Burger." 

Page 22 : "In der Weisheit des guten Richard, im IV eg sum 
Glikk, fasste er die ganze Reihe dieser von dem feinsten Ver- 
stand und der einsichtsvollsten Ehrbarkeit dictirten Grundsatze 
zusammen." 

Page 44: "Sein thatiger, feuriger, fruchtbarer, rechtlicher 
Geist, sein energischer und entschlossener Charakter. berufen ihn 
dazu, ein natiirliches Ubergewicht iiber anderen zu behaupten." 

"Auf die wahre Grundlegung der Astronomic musste die 
Physik, die Chemie und die Naturwissenschaft folgen ; auf Gali- 
leo, Keppler, Huyghens, Newton, Leibnitz muss ein Franklin, 
Priestley, Lavoiseur, Berthollet u. s. w. folgen." 



92 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

In Benjamin Franklin's Gleichniss von der Glaiibensduldung , 
Dessau, 1855, we find this passage: "Das beriilimte Gleichniss 
des anierikanischen Freiheitshelden Benjamin FrankHn (a para- 
ble against persecution, Der alte Abraham) erscheint hier zuerst 
in einer deutschen Ausgabe. J. Spark's Lebcn Franklins, II. 
Theil, II. Kapitel, zeigt, dass die Parabel uralt ist und schon von 
dem persischen Dichter Saadi als eine alte hebraische Dichtung 
erwahnt, und Franklin gebiihrt daher nur das Verdienst, sie in 
die vorherschende, volksthi'unliche Form gegossen zu haben." 

Heinrich Welker von Guntershausen, Ncucroffnctcs Maga- 
sin musikalischer Tonwerkzeuge, Band II, 1855, Frankfurt a. 
M., gives a very clear and comprehensive discussion of Franklin's 
"Harmonika". 

In the Programm und Jahresbericht dcs Kaiserl. Konigl. 
Obergymnasiums zu Laibach, fi'ir das Schuljahr i8f,6, we read an 
article treating Abbe Nollet in his position toward Benjamin 
Franklin. The strong opposition which the French scientist took 
toward Franklin's experiments is well known and is treated in 
the above-mentioned Programm of twelve pages by Dr. Heinrich 
Mitteis in a most able manner. His ideas he expresses thus : 

"Diese Zeitperiode in der Entwicklungsgeschichte der Elek- 
tricitatslehre, die wohl in der Entwicklungsgeschichte eines jeden 
Theiles der Wissenschaft einen ahnlichen Zeitabschnitt findet, 
schliesst nun mit den grossartigen Entdeckungen Franklins, zu- 
gleich aber auch mit einem literarischen Streite, in welchem 
Franklin's Theorie mit der bis dahin von einem grossen Theile 
der Gelehrten angenommenen Theorie des franzosischen Physi- 
kers Nollet verwickelt wurde. Es war dies eigentlich eine Ver- 
theidigung Nollets gegen B. Franklin, ohne dass vom Letzteren 
ein directer AngrifT gegen den franzosischen Physiker erfolgt 
ware. Die Stellung des Abbe Nollet, der sich durch seine eifri- 
gen Bemiihungen wesentliche Verdienste um die Electricitat er- 
worben hat, und in mancher geistreichen Vermuthung selbst dem 
genialen Franklin vorangeeilt war. ... In dem Streite 
zwischen Nollet und Franklin war wohl Nollet der Besiegte. . . . 

"Die Gelehrten damaliger Zeit bildeten eine grosse Gesell- 
schaft, welche ohne Unterschied der Nationalitat und der Con- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 93 

fession durch das gcmeinsame Band der Wissenschaft verbunden 
war und nach dem gemeinsamen Ziele der Ausbildung der Wis- 
senschaften und der Veredlung des Geistes unablassig hinstrebte. 
Was in den entfernsten Theilen der gelehrten Welt entdeckt 
wurde, kam so schnell als moglich zur Kenntniss der Mitglieder 
dieses grossen Vereins und wurde Gemeingut Aller." 

Nollet's great service to electricity has been considered his 
establishing the foundations of his direct theory. From his very 
first letters to his Italian friend, Signora Ardinghelli, in Naples, 
he shows that in Franklin he sees his literary opponent. (Lettres 
d'Electricite I-i Lettre. ) Nollet was reserved in his attitude to- 
ward the ready acceptance which was accorded Franklin's new 
idea in France, as introduced by his two supporters, Buffon and 
D'Alibard. The French scientist accused Franklin of making 
the statement of the electrical properties of lightning without 
verification by experiment, because he felt that the weather in 
Philadelphia was never so inclement as to offer to spectators the 
wonderful display of an electrical storm. He was, however, 
thankful to Franklin for the new statement that lightning and 
electricity are identical materials, but that a pointed iron rod can 
protect against lightning was to him unbelievable. Franklin's 
generous attitude finally won Nollet to his mode of thinking. 
"Die Streitigkeiten der Menschen vergehen mit ihnen zugleich, 
die Thatsachen bleiben und die Nachwelt, welche die Dinge mit 
kaltem Blute und ohne personliches Interesse erblickt, urtheilt 
mit Unparteilichkeit und befreit die Wahrheit von alien Ranken, 
welche dieselbe hinderten, im vollen Glanze zu erscheinen." This 
is the German scientist's final version of the matter. 

In the Zeitschrift fiir dcutsche Kidturgeschichte, herausge- 
geben von Dr. Johannes Aliiller; Johannes Falke, Niirnberg, 
1858, Seite 486, the following tribute is paid to the two leaders 
of the American war for freedom : "Die wiirdigsten Gestalten 
eines Washington und eines Franklin, wovon der Erstere durch 
seine Ritterlichkeit und seine uneigenniitzige Liebe zum Vater- 
land, der Letztere durch seine schlichte Biirgerlichkeit die Herzen 
gewonnen, konnten nicht anders als das lebhafteste Interesse aller 
edleren Geister erwecken." 



94 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Klinger, one of the great leaders of the SfurDi mid Drang 
Periode, sought to secure an opportunity to reach America. Of 
this detail of his life we read: "Da schaffte nun Schlosser den 
Rat dass Pfeffel ihm durch Franklin eine Stelle im Kriegsdienstc 
der Vereinigten Staaten verschaffen sollte. Franklin war Ge- 
sandte am Hofe Ludwigs XVI., der vor kurzem, am 6. Februar, 
einen Allianzvertrag mit dem jungen Freistaate geschlossen hat 
und in den Krieg mit England eingetreten war. Ob der blinde 
Pedagog und Dichter in Colmar eine unmittelbare Verbindung 
mit dem beriihmten amerikanischen Popularphilosophen, Physi- 
ker und Diplomaten besass, weiss ich nicht; wenn niclit, so war 
ihm derselbe doch durch seinen Bruder Christian Friedrich zu- 
ganglich, der als 'Juris Consulte du Roi' mit Geschiiften des aus- 
wartigen Departments betraut in franzosischem Dienste stand 
und am Sitze der Regierung lebte."'^ In Franklin's correspond- 
ence, no letter from Klinger comes to view, but no doubt if his 
brother held such an imperial position, Franklin would have 
naturally known him. 



"Es ist das Verdienst eines deutschen Geschichtsschreibers, 
Schlossers in Heidelberg, Franklin in seiner geschichtlichen und 
personlichen Bedeutung besser als Amerikaner, Franzosen und 
Englander gewiirdigt und characterisirt zu haben. . . . Schlos- 
ser characterisirt deshalb Franklin so gut, weil er eine ihm ganz 
verwandte Natur ist." 

Thus Friedrich Kapp, on page 46 of his Lebcn des ameri- 
kanischen Generals Ulllielm von Stenhen, Berlin, 1858, praises 
Schlosser's attitude toward Franklin. 



J. Venedey, in 1862, published in Freiburg in Breisgau 
Benjamin Franklin s Leben. On page 355, the chapter entitled 
Ein Lehcnsbild, he writes : "Nordamcrika hat das grosste GKick 
zwei Manner in dem Vordergrunde der Ereignisse seiner Revo- 



Klinger, in der Sturm und Drang Pcriodc. M. Rieger, p. 262. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 95 

lution zu sehen, die der Menschheit stets zu Vorbildern . . . 
Washington und Franklin . . . der ritterliche Edelmut 
herrscht in Jenem, die biirgerliche Klugheit in Diesem vor. . . . 
Franklin wurde zum kliigsten Manne seiner Zeit ; der trotz seiner 
Klugheit jede unedle Neigung in seinem Wesen bekampfte und 
besiegte. . . . Franklin's Leben zeigt zugleich den Weg zur 
Tugend, und ist hierdurch ein Erziehungsbeispiel fiir die 
Menschheit." 

In Friedrich Nosselt's Lehrbiich zur Kenntniss der verschie- 
denen Gattungen Poesie und Prosa, sechste Auflage, Stuttgart, 
1877, Band I, Seite 298, entitled "Die Anekdote und Lapidar- 
styl", he gives this picture for his young readers: "Jeder er- 
zahlt eine kurze Begebenheit oder eine Ausserung einer Person; 
doch muss die Eine und die Andere sich Witz oder Neuheit aus- 
zeichnen oder eine sonst merkwiirdige Person betreffen, damit 
die Zuhorer bei der Erziihlung Vergniigen empfinden." 

On page 299 he writes: "Unter Lapidarstyl versteht man 
wenige kraftige Worte, welche auf Grabsteine, auf Miinzen, auf 
Denksaulen gesetzt werden, um das Andenken an wichtige Bege- 
benheiten oder Personen zu erhalten. Z. B., die Grabschrift, 
welche der beriihmte Franklin, der Erfinder des Blitzableiters, 
erst Buchdrucker, dann Gesandte des nordamerikanischen Frei- 
staats, gestorben 1 790 in Philadelphia, sich selbst setzte : 

" *Der Leib Benjamin Franklins, Drucker, liegt hier als 
Speise fiir Wiirmer wie der Einband eines alten Buches, aus wel- 
chem das Werk gerissen, x^ufschrift und Vergoldung abgegriffen 
ist. Aber das Werk wird nicht verloren gehen. denn es wird er- 
scheinen in einer neuen zierlichen Auflage, durchgesehen und ver- 
bessert vom Verfasser.' " 

Karl Biedermann in Deutschland im achtsehnten Jahrhun- ' 
dert, Leipzig, 1880, page 162, discussing Der Einfluss der ameri- "^ 
kanischen und franzosischen Revolution auf Klopfsfock writes : 

"Vor allem jedoch war es das praktische Beispiel der fiir 
ihre Unabhangigkeit kampfenden nordamerikanischen Colonien 
Englands, was bei alien civilisirten Volkern Europas den stark- ■•■ 
sten Einfluss hervorbrachte und den Grundsatzen des Vernunft- 
rechts deren beredte Vertheidigung von dem englischen Parla- 



96 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

nient ein Mann von so acht biirgerlich-republikanischem Gepriige 
wie b ranklin fiihrte rasch die allgemeinste Zustimmung unci Aner- 
kennung vcrschaffte. Diese letzteren Eindriicke zumal mogen in 
den durch einen lebhaften Handelsverkehr niit Nordamerika eng 
verbunden, ohnehin seiner eigenen Verfassung nach republikani- 
schem Hamburg, wo damals Klopstock lebte, sich wesentlich fiihl- 
bar gemacht haben." 

Benjamin Franklin, Sein Lchcti von ihm selhst bcschricbcn. J^or- 
wort von Bcrthold AticrbacJi, und historiscli-politisclie Ein- 
Icitnng 7'on Fricdrich Kapp. Berlin, i8Ss. 

"Das Leben Franklins tritt als Buch von daucrnder piida- 
gogischer Wirkung in Parallele zur Geschichte Robinson Cru- 
soes." 

Seite 10: "Wie bei uns z. B. Goethe und Humboldt, so ist 
fiir die Vereinigten Staaten Benjamin Franklin ein solcher, seine 
Landsleute miichtig fordernder und in seine Zeit gewaltig ergrei- 
fender Charakter, so verkniipft sich mit ihm nicht allcin die 
geistliche sondern auch die politische Entwicklung seines Vater- 
landes, so verkorpert sich in ihm mehr wie irgend einem An- 
deren das gewaltige und erfolgreiche Ringen eines ganzen Jahr- 
hunderts. Die Welt war eine gliickliche und freiere als Frank- 
lin sie verlicss. Nicht allein sein Vaterland, auch die ganze 
Menschheit hatte durch seine Arbeit an geistlichen Giitern gewon- 
nen. Als ich das erste gute Bild Franklins sah. trat es mir wie 
ein alter Bekannter entgegen. 'Den kennst du ja seit deiner Ju- 
gend', rief ich unwillkiirlich aus, ist das nicht Schulze Westhof 
oder Kolon Nordmeier?" 

Seite 55 : "Justus Moser — fand ich in ihm dieselbe Grund- 
anschauung, wie in jenem wieder, denselben festen historischen 
Sinn, denselben aus dem Boden seiner niichsten Umgebungen, 
hervorwachsenden Gemeingeist, denselben gutmiitigen Humor 
und dasselbe Herz fiir sein Volk. . . . Der eine maclit Politik 
und Geschichte, der andere schreiht sie vom Gesichtspunktc patri- 
otischer Phantasien aus. . . ." 

Seite 66 : "Denn der grosse Amerikaner ist durch seine ger- 
manische Abstammung und Auffassung der sittlichen Pflichten 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 97 

des Lebens ebenso sehr dcr unsrige als Shakespeare bei uns Deiit- 
schen gleich nebeii Goethe und Schiller steht." 

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Minister, 1882. 
In the V orhemerkungen the author says of the Autobiography: 
"Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography ist ein Werk das sowohl 
wegen seiner klassischen, einfach edlen Sprache als noch mehr 
wegen seines Inhalts die grosste Bedeutung verdient." 

Dr. Richard Mayer in English Authors, Bielefeld and Leip- 
zig, 1889, discusses Franklin's Autobiography and agrees with 
Herder's ideas of the renowned American: "Herder mit vielem 
Rechte Franklin den edelsten Volksschriftsteller des an populiirer 
Literatur so iiberreichen Jahrhunderts nennt." 

In Bielefeld und Leipzig, 1889, appeared also Benjamin 
Franklin s Autobiography, mit Anmerkungen sum Schulgebrauch, 
page 4, with Pitt's appreciation of Franklin as "one whom all 
Europe held in high estimation for his knowledge and wisdom; 
who was an honor not to the English nation only, but to human 
nature", is quoted. 

In 1769, St. Jacob's Church, in Hamburg, was protected 
with a lightning rod. Die Geschichte der Physik, by Dr. Frie- 
drich Rosenberger, Braunschweig, 1882, Vol. Ill, page 316, gives; 
"Nach der Wiener Zeitung (Neue freie Presse), befinden sich in 
der Bibliothek der Wiener elektrischen Ausstellung, 1882, die 
handschriftlichen Beilegung, dass der Pramonstratenser Ordens- 
priester Prokop Dievisch in Prenditz bei Znaim am 15. Juni, 
1754, eine 22 klafter hohe Wetterstange errichtet und diesen 
Blitzableiter unabhangig von Franklin erfunden hat. Da Frank- 
lin seine Vorschlage iiber die Herableitung des Blitzes schon 1750 
machte und schon 1753 eine Theorie des Blitzableiters gab, 
scheint uns doch der Beweis fiir die vollstandige Unabhangig- 
keit des Dievisch von Franklin recht schwer zu fiihren zu sein." 
We find mention of the following work of Franklin's, A 
Modest Enquiry into the Nature and Necessity of a Paper Cur- 
rency, Philadelphia, 1729. 

Karl Knortz, in his Geschichte der nordamerikanischen Lite- 
ratur, Berlin, 1891, page 30 ff., writes: "Franklin's Einfluss 
wuchs von Tag zu Tag. . . . Er lehrte Ehrlichkeit, Massig- 



98 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

keit, Ausdauer unci Vaterlandsliebe ; die Tugendregeln. die er in 
seinem 'arnien Richard' viel gab. hatte er alle an sich selber pro- 
biert. Er besass ein gesiindes Urteil. schnelle Auffassungsgabe 
und bewundernswerten Scharf sinn ; er war ohne Stolz und Sehn- 
sucht, iiberhaiipt ein wahrer Held des Friedens. . . . Er 
schrieb klar, verstandlich und einfach ; seinen Stil hatte er nach 
Bunyan, dessen Pilgrim's Progress sein Liebhngsbtich war, 
gebildet." 

In a Geschiehte der englischen Literatur (Mit einem An- 
hang — Die nordamerikanische Literatur), by Edward Engel, 
Leipzig, 1897. page 532 : "Das helle Licht des neuen Tages geht 
auf mit Benjamin FrankHn. In ihm kommt nicht nur ein edlerer 
Gottesbegriff zur Geltung: er verbreitete auch mit der DeutHch- 
keit eines Musterbeispiels viele der echt amerikanischen Eigen- 
schaften; ein rightiger 'Yankee' ini guten Sinne." 



In Beitrdge zur amerikanischen Litteratur- und Kulturge- 
schichte, E. P. Evans, Stuttgart, 1898, page 64, discussing 
Ralph Waldo Emerson says : "Er vereinigte in sich die Erleuch- 
tung des Jacob Bohme und die Lebensweisheit des Benjamin 
Franklin." 

c. Franklin as Treated in German Literature of the Tiventieth 

Century. 

Das Literarische Echo 7, pages 1696- 1697 for 1905, gives a 
very able article by Max Kohn, entitled Amerika im Spiegel deut- 
scher Dichtung, which treats Franklin and the lofty appreciation, 
which Herder felt for the founder of the American Philosophical 
Society : 

"Der erste mit der ganzen Glut dichterischer Begeisterung 
der aufstrebenden Republik zujauchzte war Klopfstock, ihm 
folgte Herder mit seiner V^erehrung Benjamin Franklins, des 
Lehrers der jMenschheit, des Ordners einer grossen Gesellschaft. 
Nach diesem Amerika Franklins wenden dann die Kraftgenies, 
denen das eingeschniirte und zivilisirte Europa, keinen Spielraum 
fijr die freie Entfaltung der Kriifte mehr liisst. gern ihren Blick." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 99 

Klinger, Schubart, Schiller, Platen, Lenau, Heine, Borne and 
Goethe, all these enthusiastic admirers of freedom were attracted 
to the uprising of the American children against their oppressive 
mother country. 

Professor Eduard Engel, in Geschichte der englischen Lite- 
ratur, Chapter VI Die nordarnerikanische Literatur, 6. Auflage, 
Leipzig, pages 459-460, says : "Das helle Licht des neuen Tages 
geht auf mit Benjamin Franklin. In ihm kommt nicht mir ein ed- 
lerer Gottesberiff zur Geltung ; er vertritt auch mit der Deutlich- 
keit eines Musterbeispiels viele der echt amerikanischen Eigen- 
schaften; ein richtiger 'Yankee' im guten Sinne. . . . Seine ein- 
zige literarisch-wertvolle, noch heute lesbare Hinterlassenschaft 
ist die in seinem 79. Lebensjahre verfasste 'Autobiography', 1785, 
zugleich eine ausgezeichnete Darstellung des amerikanischen Le- 
bens im achtzehnten Jahrhundert. Er zeigt sich darin als der 
Apostel der Niitzlichkeit, Sparsamkeit, Schlauheit, kurz der ver- 
einigten Lebensprosa. . . . Bei der Envahnung Franklin's 
mag zugleich des aufifallenden Umstands gedacht werden, dass 
kein Volk so viele langlebige beriihmte Manner der Literatur auf- 
weist wie die Nordamerikaner." Franklin is still worthy of a 
first place in the story of the colonial period, not only in the pol- 
itical interest, which he necessarily inspires, but the fame of the 
"Autobiography" and "Poor Richard", hold for him this place 
among the pioneers of American literature. When we consider 
that Franklin did not have this aim, of stamping himself as a 
literary star in the broad sky of talent, and remember that even 
today his maxims are repeated in nearly every living language, 
and his name is synonymous with the lightning-rod and other of 
his well-known inventions, we must be proud to feel that foreign 
lands still include his name among the famous fathers of Amer- 
ican freedom and American literature. 

The Zeitschrift fiir Biichcrfreunde, Bielefeld und Leip- 
zig, 1905, mentions the work of Gottfried August Burger: "In 
seiner letzten Lebensjahren hat Burger durch seine finanzielle 
Notlage gedrangt noch wiederholt zur Feder des tjbersetzers ge- 
grififen. So erschien 1792 bei Rollmann in Berlin Benjamin 
Franklin s Jugendjahre, von ihm selbst fiir seinen Sohn beschrie- 



lOO Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

ben, und ilbersetzt von G. A. Bilrger, ein Biich welches in der 
Folge in Deutschland grosse Verbreitung gefunden hat." The 
author says of Frankhn : "Durch Frankhn wurden also die ersten 
Beziehungen zwischen amerikanischen und deutschen Denkern 
und Gelehrten angekniimpft." 

Ahhandlungen i'lber Elektrotherapie, Heft 4; Die Franklin- 
sche Elektridtdt in der niedisinischen Wissenschaft und Praxis, 
Dr. August von Luzenberger, Leipzig, 1901, speaking of 
Franklin's abilities in electricity, writes: "Die spater sogenannte 
statische oder Franklinsche Elektricitat, ist die erste Form, in 
welcher dieser alldringende Agent und dessen Molikularbewe- 
guijg sich unseren Sinnen dargeboten hat. . . . Eine andere 
Form von Kondensatoren verdanken wir Franklin, welche Frank- 
linometer genannt ist. . . ." 

In GescJiiehfe der englischen Lifterahtr, von Geh. Hofrat 
Professor Dr. Richard Wiilker, II — neu-bearbeite und vermehrtc 
Auflage, Band II, Leipzig und Wien, 1907, Seite 422 fif., we read: 
"Dem ersten amerikanischen Autor, der weltberiihmt wurde, be- 
gegnen wir in Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Fiir die europii- 
ische Welt war Franklin der erste typische Amerikaner, und we- 
nigstens zwei seiner Schriften waren die ersten eines Amerikaners, 
die in alle europaischen Sprachen iibersetzt wurden. Der arme 
Richard, voni Jahre 1758, und seine Selbstbiograpliie. Goethe, 
iiberall scharfsichtig und scharf formellirend, vergleicht Frank- 
lin mit Justus Moser, in Absicht auf Wahlgemeinniitziger Gegen- 
stande, auf tiefe Einsicht, freie tjbersicht, gliickliche Behand- 
lung, so griindlichen als frohen Humor. Audi das Ubrige was 
Goethe in Bezug auf Moser ausspricht, liisst sich auf Franklin 
iibertragen. 

"Immer ist er iiber seinen Gegenstand erhaben und weiss uns 
eine heitere Ansicht des Fernsten zu geben ; bald hinter dieser, 
bald hinter jener Maske halb versteckt, bald in eigener Person 
sprechen immer vollstandig und erschopfend, dabei immer froh. 
mehr oder weniger ironisch, durchaus tiichtig. rechtschaffend, 
wohlmeinend, ja manchmal derb mid hastig, und dieses alles so 
abgemessen, dass man zugleich den Geist, den Verstand, die 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany loi 

Leichtigkeit, Gewandheit, den Geschmack und Character des 
Schriftstellers bewimdern muss.'' 

Professor J. Wiese, in his book entitled Der Mann des Er- 
foJgs, Benjamin Franklin, Stuttgart, 1909, gives a most detailed 
account of the life in all its phases of this American patriot. His 
poem dedicated to Franklin will be given later. 

"Ein Mann, der noch im hohen Greisenalter in treuer Pflicht- 
erfiillung seinem Lande von gewaltigem Nutzen sein kann 
und durch selbstlose Arbeit die Entwicklung seines Vaterlandes 
in moralischer, geistiger, wissenschaftlicher und politischer Hin- 
sicht machtig zu fordern versteht, ist wahrhaft gliicklich zu prei- 
sen und wird fortleben im Gedachtnis der dankbaren Me^sch- 
heit. Ein solcher Mann war Benjamin Franklin." (S. i.) 

"Eine grosse historische Personlichkeit wie Franklin, der 
auf die Geschichte seines Vaterlandes und der ganzen Welt einen 
so machtigen Einfluss ausgeiibt hat, der unter den Staatsmannern 
und Gelehrten seiner Zeit in so hohem Ansehen stand und an den 
ersten Hofen Europas mit so ausserordentlichem Erfolg tatig 
war, verdient von alien Seiten betrachtet zu werden." (S. 60.) 

"In Zeitschriften, die Franklin zur Belehrung und Aufkla- 
rung des Volkes oder der Regierung schrieb, die Alle das Ge- 
prage der Einfachheit, Knappheit und Klugheit tragen und auf 
die Erfahrung des Praktikers gegriindet sind, hat er Lehren ent- 
wickelt, die heute noch Muster in ihrer Art bilden." (S. 62.) 

The following is the plan which the author followed in his 
treatment of Franklin : 

"i. Als IMensch iibte er die Tugenden der Massigkeit, der 
Geduld und des Fleisses und wusste sie einzupragen. 

"2. Als Burger wusste er der Gewalt der Tyrannen zu wie- 
derstehen, und die Freiheit seiner Landsleute zu sichern. 

"3. Als Gesetzgeber war er ein glanzendes Beispiel eines 
fiber alle Bestechlichkeit erhabenen Charakters, der fortwahrend 
nur das Heil seiner Auftraggeber zu fordern strebte. 

"4. Als Politiker wusste er auf der einen Seite durch seine 
geschickten Unterhandlungen den Beistand einer machtigen Na- 
tion zu erlangen und auf der anderen die gemeinschaftlichen In- 
teressen eines Kongresses von Republiken ins Leben zu rufen und 



I03 lirnjiiniiH hranhlin aini (n'rnnniy 

indem er einen MilU-lpunkt k'slscl/tc, aul clcn sic ilin- IMcilic 
hel'teu konntcn, ilue (k'saimutiuadit liir die Zvvockc dcr ImiiIiciI, 
der llivrmonie, der («eset/4;el)un^^ mid dci Vertfidiguii^' zii koii- 
zentrieri'ii. 

"5. Ms l'liil(>S(»|>li wari'ii sciiic Aiht-ilni imd l^ntdeckunp,"cn 
daraut ^t-riilUt't, ilii- liitiTt'ssoii dvr Monsililu'il /u lordcni und 
er verdiente in \\'al\iiuMt tier iMciiiid dii I\UiimIiiii inul dn- 
W'nlillhiili-r tU's \\\'l(alls j^iiiannl /.u wi-rdi-n." ( S. 138.) 



CHAPTER VI. 
Franklin in German Poetry. 

It is interesting to know that the leaders of the cause of the 
American Revolution, especially two of these leaders were well 
known to Germany and were held in universal esteem. These 
two symbolized in themselves the great conception of the rise of 
a nation against the thraldom of tyranny — these two, Washing- 
ton and Franklin. 

In the Leipziger Musenalmanach aufs Jahr z//^, printed in 
Leipzig, on page 141 we read the following poem on Franklin in 
Paris, by Hase: 

"Die ersten Tag' ersticken fast dich im Gedrange, 
Der dich umgebenden neugierigen Menge, 
Allein kaum bist du Wochen da gewesen, 
So hast du schon beriihmter Geist vergessen, 
Und musst in deinen grauen Jahren 
Des griinen Esels Schicksal noch erfahren." 

Voss in his Luise makes reference to these two leaders, 
Washington and Franklin: 

"Lies noch ein Weilchen im Bett, wie du pfiegst: ein Kapitel der 
Bibel, 
Dort auf der kleinern Riole zur Seite dir: oder ein Leibebuch 
Besserer Zeit, als Menschen wie Washington lebten und Frank- 
lin." 

In Vorbilder fur die Jugend, by Dr. Franz Otto and Dr. H. 
Schramm, Leipzig, 1873: 

"Es wirkt mit Macht der edle Mann 
Jahrhunderte auf Seinesgleichen, 
Die gute That, das schone Wort, 
Es strebt unsterblich, wie er sterblich fort." — Goethe. 

We see this poem applied to Franklin, considering him as 
the personification of practical utility: one whose life must prove 
an example for youth and manhood. 

(103) 



104 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Theodor Riiprecht in his Benjamin Franklin, Leheu und 
Schriften, has a German translation of the verse, which appears 
in several of the English editions of his works. It runs as fol- 
lows: 

"Er hat geraubt des Himmels Strahl 
Und Wissenschaf t erbliih'n Wiisteneien geheissen ; 
Amerika nennt ihn den grossten seiner Weisen 
Hellas hatt' ihn gesellt seiner Gotter Zahl." 

Lavater's Grabschrift yields its high place in the ranks of 
elegiac praise of this father of freedom, to the splendid Grab- 
schrift of Schubart: 

"Hier liegt in Graberstille 
Franklins Hiille 
Geist, Weiser, Patriot, 
Voll Vaterland und Gott; 
Er wusste den Strahl der Tyrannen 
Wie Blitze des Himmels zu bannen, 
Und aus glasernen Glocken 
Himmlische Tone zu locken. 
Wie einem Brautigam die Braut, 
Bot ihm Freiheit die Hand ; 
Dann fuhrt' er sie liebevertraut 
In Columbus gliickliches Land. 
Seine Name frei und gross 
Flog iiber den Okeanus, 
Columbia trauert um Ihn, 
Europa klagt um Ihn, 
Der kiihne Franke hullt sich in Flor ; 
Doch Franklin's Seele flog empor 
Ins Urlicht, Geister drangen 
In Schaaren herbei, 
Wilkommten ihn und sangen ; 
Wen Gott frei macht, 
1st ewig frei."'^** 

In the Litterdrisches Leben des Koniglich-Baierischen Ge- 
heimenrates und Ritters Anton von Klein, Wiesbaden, 1818, S. 
36 ff., we have a poem which reads as follows: 

Empfindungen des Doktor Franklin bei einem Blick in die 

"a Gedichte. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 105 

Natur. — This is a poem of twenty stanzas, interpolated with re- 
marks and explanations of the author. We shall give the stanzas 
that refer directly to Dr. Franklin. The entire poem gives a 
vivid description of a severe storm, how nature and all animate 
creation cower before the turbulence and power of the storm 
king. The poem runs thus : 

"i. Dem Meeresschlund entwirbeln Stiirme 
Zum Mond hinauf ; 
Am Halmchen ruhen hier Gewiirme; 
Er wankt im Lauf. 

"2. Flieh' Miickchen! Nehm dein goldnes Leben 
Dein Gott wandelt : Wetter heben. 
Gott beugt er sich. 

"3. Wer leiht, Uran, in jenen Fernen, 
Dass Licht kleid dir? 
Einst nehm' ich dich mit hohern Sternen 
Zur Krone mir. 



"14. Wer trotzet Donner, deinem Grimme? 
Der Weise hier, 
Er lachet deiner Gotterstimme 
Und spielt mit dir! 

"15. Sein Stabchen, das den Blitz verschlinget, 
Schiitzt stille mich ; 

Die Schopfung wankt; ein Kettchen bringet 
Ihm machtlos dich!" 

Benjamin Franklin is treated very ably in a book entitled 
Manner des Erfolgs, von Dr. J. Wiese, Stuttgart, 1909. On page 
56 he gives a poem of twenty stanzas, written by Dr. Georg Bie- 
denkapp, Der in scJwnen Versen Franklin's herrliclie Erfindung 
preist: 

"i. Dumpf lullert der Donner, es tiirmen zu Hauf 
Im Westen sich finstere Wolken herauf ; 
Jetzt hebt sich der Sturm und wirbelt den Staub, 
Schon netzen die Tropfen das diirstende Laub. 



io6 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

"2. Hin ! Zuckt das Grell ! Wie knattert es laiit 
Doch mutigen Knaben vor Blitzen nicht graut; 
Schliigt Menschen der Strahl audi noch nianchmal ins Dach 
So halt ihn doch l*>ankhn's Erfindung in Schach. 

"3. Zwar uns ist der BHtz als natiirlich bekannt, 
Doch denkt euch die Zeit da nieniand verstand, 
Wie Feuer den wassrichen Wolken entspringt, 
Weil Feuer gewohnlich ins Wasser entrinnt. 

"18. Im kleinen ist's Donner und Blitzen! So dacht' 

Audi Franklin, und gleich ward die Probe gemacht. 
Sobald ein Gewitter ini Himmel erschien, 
Flugs Hess einen Drachen wolkenwarts ziehen. 

"19. Bald waren elektrische Drachen wie Schur 

Von Schlafen den Blitzen verriet sich die Spur 
In Funken, die Franklin zu locken verstand, 
Aus der Schnur, die Erde und Wolken verband. 

"20. So erfand er den Blitzableiter, erzwang 
Die Elektricitiit in metallenen Gang, 
Wie tobender Wildbach und reissender Fluss 
In kiinstliches Sternlicht ergiessen sich muss." 

In Der IV eg zum Rcichtiun, by R. L. Stab, Berlin, 1891, w^e 
find these four introductory lines : 

"Der edle Mann lebt nie vergebens, 
Er geht einst, hemmt sich hier sein Lauf 
Nach Sonnenuntergang des Lebens. 
Als ein Gestirn der Naclit wallt auf." — Tiedge. 

Johann Jacob ]\Ieyen was the author of Franklin, der Philo- 
soph und Staatsmann (In fiinf Gesiingen). Alt-Stettin, 1787: 
"Ein Mann, einer gab uns durch kUigliches zogern den Freistaat, 
Nie war lernender Ruf bei ihni mehr und f ruber als Rettung, 
Darum jauchzet die Nachwelt dem Helden je langer, je heller." 

Der erste Gesang. 

"Den Philosophen besingt mein Lied, der dcm neueren \\'elttheil 
Jenseits des Mar del Xord das Licht der Wissenschaft brachte, 
Und sein seufzendes X'aterland von Tyrannen befreite, 
Von der Natur gesandt, als \\'alder und Hiitten der Wilden. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 107 

In Provinzen verwandelt, eines Fiihrers bedurften 
Der den Geist der Freiheit durch Weisheit und Kiinste veredelt 
Den Nationalgeist bildet, und mit sich hoher emporhebt 
Die Grundfeste des Staats viel Leiden und Schrecken des Todes • 
Ergnffen den heldenmiithigen VVeisen, das Joch der Tyrannen 
Druckte das Volk, Britanniens Zepter zerschlug die Erdruckten ; 
Da trat der Weise hervor und ward des Vaterlands Retter, 
Gab der Freiheit ihr Recht und griindete siegreich den Frei- 
staat." 

Meyen continues in his praise of FrankHn : 

"Wir Kiistenbewohner der schiffreichen Ostsee wir horten 
Auch mit Wonne empfindend FrankHn's weitschallende Thaten 
Auch uns reizte die Weisheit des Menschenretters aus Boston." 

His songs give a biographical sketch of FrankHn, comparing 
him with Cadmus, Caesar, Theseus, Plato and others. Especially 
does he emphasize Franklin's scientific discoveries in electricity. 
Thus the first song closes : 

"O beglticktes Deutschland ! du Mutter des grossen Leibnitz, 
Sei gerecht ; Franklin war nicht von Winklern belehret, 
Winkler war nicht so stark, des Prometheus' Arbeit zu'wagen 
Fragt Franklinen, er wird f reimiithig die Wahrheit sage ; 
Er ist zu reich, zu gross, zu edel fiir fremde Lorbeeren. 
Sei gerecht, und schutze dagegen des grossen Leibnitz." 

Der zweite Gcsang praises again the achievements of Frank- 
lin, particularly the founding of the Academy of Philadelphia. 

"Durch ihn ragst du hervor, Philadelphia, hier ist der Schauplatz 
Der Wissenschaften, die Akademie die er stiftete; er gab 
Ihr seinen Geist, den edlen Stolz, sich hoher zu schwingen, 
Und mit denkenden Mannern den wachsenden Staat zu beschen- 
ken." 

The Harmonika is not forgotten : 

"O Franklin! du neuer Kolumbus im Reiche der Tonkunst; 
Alle die nach dir kommen und deine Harmonika schmiicken, 
Smd nur wie Goldarbeiter, und keiner Kolumbus; der Gold 
fand." 



io8 Boijaniin FrankJin and Germany 

Nearly one hundred lines are devoted to his powers as a 
statesman : 

"Jetzt betritt der weise Franklin einen neuen Schauplatz, 
Er der Wissenschaft Licht, wird nun ein Licht in der Staats- 
kunst. 



"Reich an Kenntnissen, stark und holde an stiirmender Rede. 

Ein Menschenfreund, der fiir jeden gemacht, jeder dem sich 
einflosst. 

Reiner als nur b'ranklin war's, kein geringerer konnt' es. 

Wahrheit und Gliickseligkeit sind die Grundfeste seines Sys- 
tems." 

Der dr'ittc Gcsang. 

Here in verse we read of Franklin's political career in Lon- 
don: 

". . . Franklin ! Franklin ist der Name, 
Den sie verkiindigt, Franklin, Philosoph und Sprecher des 

Volkes, 
Ist des Landes Vater und fordert die Rechte der Freiheit." 

Der v'lerte Gesang. 

Here we have Franklin in France : 
"Heil dem Staate! Franklin ist des Gesetzbuches Stifter, 
Seine Kenntnisse sind der unerschopfliche Vorrath der Bauma- 
terien." 

Der fiinfte Gesang- 

"Zittenid sah der Neid und der Geiz den bidren Franklin an, 
Und die Verlaunulung mit ihnen, und die verstimniende Fama, 
Die sich nun ungern zuni Rulime der Wahrheit als Heraldin 

ausschickt, 
I'nd Thersitens Schatten niit lang ausholendem Seufzer." 

Note: Meyen's book of uo pages (approximately 1300 
lines) found in the American Philosophical Society is incomplete. 
No other copy was found by the author. This copy was no doubt 
in Franklin's own possession and shows marks that the final pages 
were cut out or lost. 



CHAPTER VII. 
Franklin as Known to Goethe. 

Franklin as a noble old man "reminds us of some of the 
glimpses we catch in contemporary letters of the aged Goethe, 
a man who had much in common with Franklin. "''^^ "A life like 
Franklin's solves the problem stated in the Faust of Goethe; 
which is, How shall a man become satisfied with life?" If we fol- 
low a close comparison of the lives of these two men, we can con- 
fidently say that their paths were at times divergent and at times 
they seemed to join in the broad highway of utility. It has been 
said, by critics of these two, that they lacked the good habit of 
regular church service. Franklin expresses his views very 
strongly on the matter thus : "Though I seldom attended any 
public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety and its 
utility, when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annual 
subscriptions for the support of the only Presbyterian minister 
or meeting we had in Philadelphia, He used to visit me some- 
times as a friend, and admonished me to attend his administra- 
tions, and I was now and then prevailed on to do so; once for 
five Sundays. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, per- 
haps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had 
for the Sunday's leisure in my course of study; but his discourses 
were chiefly polemic arguments, or explications of the peculiar 
doctrines of our sect, and even all to me very dry, uninteresting 
and unedifying, since not a single moral principle was inculcated 
or enforced ; their aim seeming to be to make us Presbyterians, 
rather than good citizens." 

Goethe had a similar feeling with regard to attending 
church, which he expresses: "If Protestants sought to define 
more clearly what ought to be done, lived and taught; if they 
imposed an inviolable reverential silence or the mysteries of re- 
ligion, without compelling any man to assent to the dogmas . . . 
I should, myself, be the first to visit the church of my brethren 



" James Parton. Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. Vol. II, p. 581 

(p- 639). - ^ ^ 

(109) 



no Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

ill religion, with sincere heart, and to submit myself with willing 
edification to the practical confession of a faith which connected 
itself so immediately with action."'*' 

In the Goethe Jahrhuch, Band 25 (1904), Seite 4. in an 
article entitled Briefivechsel civisehen Goethe und Amerikanern 
. . von Leonard L. Mackall, we read : "Wenn der treffliche 
Goethe und Herder wohlbekannte Benjamin Franklin schon 1730 
ein deutsches Gesangbuch druckte und zwei Jahre darauf wahr- 
scheinlich die Philadelphia Zeitung begriindete, 1766 Gottingen 
besuchte, und sonst viel dazu beitrug die deutsche Sprache in 
Amerika einzufiihren und andere ihm beistanden, so bleiben diese 
Versuche noch meistens sporadisch." 

Goethe as the President of the Freitagsgcsellschaft, of 
which, as we know, Herder was the original instigator, must 
have received, through his friend and fellow-worker a strong im- 
pression of the worth of Dr. Franklin, as the founder of the 
Junto. Professor O. Harnack, in the Goethe JaJirbiieh, XVH 
(1896). pages 23-24, says: "Wenn Goethe in den Wander jahren 
den Zustand der neuen Zeit greifbar bezeichnen will, so weist er 
auf Amerika hin; Amerika mit seiner eigenartigen Kulturform 
war aber auch schon 1797 als ein neues, auf eine Zukunfts- 
Epoche hinweisendes Gebilde in den Gesichtskreis der weiter- 
blickenden Beobachter getreten. Der Befreiungskrieg der Ver- 
einigten Staaten, die Erscheinung des practisch-niichternen, ein- 
fach selbstbeweissten Franklin war von empfindsamen Gemii- 
thern, nur als ein neuer Anlass zu begeisterter Schwarmerci fiir 
Freihcit und Gleichheit aufgefasst worden." 

Turning to Goethe's TagehiieJier, we find under the date 
April zy, 181 7, the following notice, which gives insight into the 
books, which were interesting Goethe at this time : "John Hun- 
tersleben von Adams — Entwiirfe und Abschriften von natur- 
wissenschaftlichem Hefte — Abends zu Knebels — Franklin's Le- 
ben." Again, two days later, we read : "Zu Knebel, woselbst 
Hofrath Luden — mit Franklin's Lehen und Character." 

Goethe was in Strassburg in 1770. In April of that year: 



'* Sarah Austin. Characteristics of Goethe. I, 77. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 1 1 1 

"Erhohte Anatomic bei Lobstein, Chemie bei Spielmann, besuchte 
die Klinik des alteren Ehrmann und die Vorlesungen des jiinge- 
ren Ehrmann iiber Entbindungskunst. 

"Atich die Elektricitat, in der kurz vorher Franklin seine 
grosse Entdeckung gemacht hatte, beschaftige ihn, und nicht we- 
niger als neun Schriften iiber diesen Gegenstand finden sich in 
dem Tagebuche zur Lektiire angemerkt.""^ 

The French Revolution had a marked effect upon Goethe : 
"Die RepubHk hatte ihn mit einer besondern Auszeichnung ge- 
ehrt; zugleich mit Washington, Franklin, Tom Paine, Pesta- 
lozzi, Campe, Klopstock, dem beriichtigten Anacharsis Klotz und 
einigen Andern wurde ihm das franzdsische Biirgerrecht er- 
theilt.""8 

Turning to the year 1828, we find Goethe the last two days 
of the year busy once more interestedly reading Franklin's life in 
its French translation. "December 30, 1828. Mittage allein. 
Franklins Lebcn neu ins Franzosische iibersetzt." "December 
31. Las ich Franklins Leben weiter." The edition of Frank- 
lin's Life, which he used was La Vie de Benjamin Franclin, Tra- 
duction Nouvelle, Paris, 1828. 

He writes to C. F. Zelter from Weimar, April 2, 1829, after 
a careful study of his theory of colors, the following: "Ware 
meine Farbenlehre nicht ein verbotenes Buch und deshalb schwer 
aufzufinden, so wiirde ich sagen : die unter dem Datum 2. Januar, 
1766, von dem wackern Franklin als problematische hinterlassene 
Erscheinungen und in obgedachtem meinem Biichlein, und zwar 
gleich zu An fang die der ersten Abtheilung iiberschrieben : Physi- 
ologische Farben mit alien ihren Seitenverwandten auf's deut- 
lichste und vollstandigste, wie mir scheinen darf, abgeleitet, aus- 
gelegt und erklart wie man sagen mochte. Diese meine Arbeit ist 
nun bald zwanzig Jahre offentlich ; das Niitzliche davon hat aber 
noch nicht in die Masse verbreitet."'^* 

In a copy in the possession of the Geh. Archivrath Dr. Ernst 
Friedlander in Berlin, there is a letter dated January 2, 1762, in 



" Goethe's Leben und Werke, von G. H. Lewes, i Band (autorisierte 
Ubersetzung von Dr. Julius Frese), 16 Auflage ; S. 70. 
''Ibid., S. 155- 
"Goethe'i Brief e, 45 Band, S. 231-232. 



I I J Benjamin I'ranklin and Germany 

which reference is made to I'YankHii's ideas of music. Briefe, 
Band 45, Leseartcn, Seite 412-413. 

Ah'eady as early as 1798 from Weimar we read the follow- 
ing letter to Schiller, dated January 26, in which he speaks of 
Darwin's Theories of Botanical Gardens, and also Dr. Frank- 
lin's Erfindung, dein Gewitter seine Blit:;e ::.u nelimen.^^^ 

Again he addresses Zelter from Weimar, February 28. 181 1, 
in which there is mention made of Franklin: "Ja, Voltaire er- 
kiihnt sich irgendwo zu sagen : J'ai toujours remarque que la 
Geometric laisse I'esprit oil elle se trouve — audi hat schon Frank- 
lin cine besondere Aversion gegen die JNIathematiker, in Absicht 
aui' geselligen Umgang. klar und deutlich ausgedriickt, w'O es 
ihren Klcinigkeits- und Wiederspruchsgeist unertraglich findet.*^'. 

"Schon als Kind begegnete mir Franklin's Lehre von der 
T^lektricitat, welches Gesetz er damals soeben gefunden hatte. 
LJnd so folgte durch mein ganzes Leben bis zu dieser Stunde. 
eine grosse Entdeckung der anderen ; wodurch ich denn nicht 
allein friih auf die Natur hingeleitet, sondern audi spater immer- 
fort in der bcdeutensten Anregung crhaltcn wurde."*- So we 
see that Goethe even in childhood had his eyes opened to the 
teaching of the American scientist. 

Speaking of the American Revolution, for which Goethe had 
an absorbing, enthusiastic appreciation, he says: "Noch lebhafter 
iibcr die Welt interessirt, als ein ganzes Volk sich zu bcfreien 
Miene machte — man wiinschte den Amerikaners alles Gliick und 
die Namen Franklin und Washington fingen an am politischen 
und kriegerischen Himmel zu glanzen und funkeln."^^ 

In Goethe's Naturivissensehaftliehe Sehriften, Band IV, 
Zur Farhenlehve ( Historischer Theil II), Weimar, 1894, pages 
199-200, he gives a portion from Benjamin Franklin's Kleine 
Sehriften, herausgegeben von G. Schatz, 1794, zweiter Theil. 
Seite 234 flf. 



"^Goethe's Brief c (1893), Band 13, S. 238. 

"Goethe's Briefe (Weimar, 1901"), Band 22. S. 49. 

^ Gesprliche mit Goethe. In den letzten Jahren seines Lehens. Von 
Johann Eckermann. Band I (1823-1827), S. 165. (Donnerstag Abend, den i. 
Februar, 1827.) 

" Goethe's IVcrke, Band 29, S. 68. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 113 

Benjamin Franklin. 

[Kleine Schriftcn, herausgegeben von G. Schatz, 1794, 
zweiter Theil, Seite 324 f.] 

"Der Eindruck, den ein Icuchtender Gcgenstand auf die 
Sehnervcn macht, dauert zwanzig bis dreissig Sekunden. Sieht 
man an einem hcitern Tage, wenn man im Zimtner sitzt, cine 
Zeit lang in die Mitte eines Fenstcrs, und schb'esst sodann die 
Augen, so bleibt die Gestalt des Fensters eine Zeit lang im Auge, 
und zwar so deutlich, dass man im Stande ist, die einzelnen Fa- 
chcr zu ziihlcn. Merkwiirdig ist bei dieser Erfahrung der Um- 
stand, dass der Eindruck der Form sich bcsser erhalt, als der 
Eindruck der Farbe. Denn sobald man die Augen schliesst, 
scheinen die Glasfacher, wenn man das Bild des Fensters an- 
fangt wahrzunchmen, dunkel, die Ouerholzer der Kreuze aber, 
die Rahmen und die Wand umber weiss oder glanzend. Ver- 
niehrt man jedoch die Dunkelheit der Augen dadurch, dass man 
die Hande tiber sie halt, so erfolgt sogleich das Gegentheil. Die 
Facher erscheincn leuchtend und die Ouerholzer dunkel. Zieht 
man die Hand weg, so erfolgt eine neue Veranderung, die alles 
wieder in den ersten Stand setzt. Ein Phanomen, das ich so we- 
nig zu erklaren weiss, all folgendes. Hat man lange durch eine 
gemcine griine, oder sogenannte Conservationsbrille gesehn, uml 
nimmt sie nun ab, so sieht das weisse Papier eines Buches rotlich 
aus, so wic es griinlich aussieht, wenn man lange durch rothe 
Brillen gesehen hat. Dies scheint eine noch nicht erklarte Ver- 
wandschaft der griinen und rothen Farbe anzuzeigen." 

KoERNER, Schiller and Franklin. 

Schiller must have known the life of Franklin because his 
friends pKDssessed clear insight into the value of this North Amer^ 
ican representative of all that the new world could offer a child 
of freedom and the embodiment of all that that word conveys to 
the minds of men, chafing under restraint. 

Korner writes to Schiller from Dresden, 28th of May, 
1790, as follows: "Mir ist dabei iiberhaupt eingefallen, ob Du 
nicht ganz neue Memoires mit in Deinen Plan aufnehmen soil- 



114 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

test, so dass sie neben den altern zugleich erschienen. z. B., die 
Memoires von Richelieu. Choiseiil. Bei diesen Beiden sind Dir 
iiiin wohl Andere zuvorkomnien. Abcr jetzt kommen gewiss in 
Frankreich imd England mehrere heraus. die sehr braiichbar 
wiiren. Du bist der Mann nicht so etwas zu erlauern. aber Ber- 
tnch. der wohl eigentlich Dein \'erleger ist (da Manke nur den 
Natnon hergiebt) wiire zu seinen eigenen Journalen und Zeitun- 
gen aufzupassen. So weiss ich z. B. nicht. ob Franklins Lcbcn 
von ihni selbst beschrieben schon einen Ubersetzer hat."^^ 

Lenz and Fraxklix. 

Lenz writes to Zimmemiann the J 7th of May. 1776. the 
following: "Hier ist Lindaus Schwanengesang, den er sehr gem 
an Washington oder D. Franklin mochte gelangen lassen. Wie 
ist mir selber unbegreiflich. \'ielleicht wissen Sie Auswege. 
Den Colonisten kann ein soldi Produkt nicht anders als lieb scin. 
Und Sie. mein Freund. sind Freund der Freiheit, nur dass er 
(Der Schwanengesang) nicht in unrechte Hcinde fallt."^^ 

Franklix and Justus Moser. 

"Ich kann nicht schliessen. ohne meinen freudigen und stol- 
zen \'aterlandsliebe den Ausbruch zu gonnen. hier zu sagen und 
zugleich mehrere zu erinnem. dass in Deutschland ein ]Mann 
lebt. der an Staatskenntnis. an Forschung des Geistes der Ge- 
setze. an W'ahrheitsliebe. an Originalitat. an feinem Sinn fiir 
schone Kiinste. an Gelehrsanikcit. an Eifer zur \'erbreitung heil- 
samer geineinmitzer W'ahrheiton. an Witz und Laune. an man- 
nigfachem Stil. an Kenntnis der Welt, und Menschenliebe, an 
reinem Gefiihl fiir Natur und endlich selbst an Bekanntmach- 
ungsart seiner Aufsatze. Franklin ausserordentlich gleicht: Jus- 
tus Moser.''^*^ 



^ Sifiillcr's BriefzvechscI mit Komer. von 1^84 bis cum Tode Schillers. 
Karl Goedeke. i. Theil. S. 372. 

" Got-tht- Jahrbuch. Band 32 uoii\ S. 24. Uttpedrucktcs aits dcm Got'the- 
Kreise. Mitgeteilt von Heimann Brciuming — Oktavio. 

" Bcrlinisiht- Monatsschrift (Berlin, 1783), Julius, S. 38. J. EL Biester. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 1 1 5 

For a true appreciation of Moser, let us turn to an Inaugural 
Dissertation, von Ludwig Posadzy, Posen, igo6, entitled Der 
cntzvicklungsgrsciuchtlichc Gcdanke hci Herder, pages 22-23: 
"Moser's Osnabri'ickische Geschichte bedeutet eine Epochc fiir 
den entwicklungsgeschichtlichen Gedanken. Die Stetigkeit der 
agrarischen Verhaltnisse, denen sich seine ganze Vorliebe zu- 
wendet, brachte ihm ohne alle Vermittelung die Idee bei, dass es 
sich hier um eine einheitliche entwicklungsreihe handle, deren 
organisches Wachstum nun vor allem zu verfolgen sei, 

"Es ist auch interessant zu beobachten, wie in Moser mit 
dem Aufkommen des wahren geschichtlichen Sinnes die Aufkl.'i- 
rung wird. Jede Zeit tragt fiir Moser den eignen Massstab in 
sich." 

Again he says: "Winckelmanns Geschichte der Kunst ist 
nicht weniger bahnbrechend fiir den Entwicklungsgedankcn, wio 
Moser's osnabriickische Geschichte." 

In the Patriotische Phantasien, von Justus Moser, herausg, 
von seiner Tochter J. W. J. v. Voigts, Berlin, 1842 — Second 
Edition, 1858 (Verlag der Nicolai'schen Buchhandlung), in the 
Einleitung von B. R. Abeken, we read: 

"Mit welcher Lebhaftigkeit der jugendliche Goethe diesen 
altern Geistesverwandten, mit Ehrfurcht zu ihm emporblickend, 
begriisste, das erzahlt er uns in seiner Selbstbiographie ; dabei 
characterisirt er uns die Patriotischen Phantasien in einer Weise, 
die demjenigen, der nach ihm iiber denselbcn Gegenstand reden 
mochte, Bedenken erwecken muss. Er bemerkt, wie die grosse 
Zahl der staatsbijrgerlichen, geschichtlichen, moralischen Auf- 
satze ein wahrhaftes Ganzes ausmachen, welche Universalitat 
sich in ihnen offenbart, wie des Verfassers Vorschlag und Rath, 
obgleich auch oft nicht ausfiihrbar, noch nie aus der Luft ge- 
grif¥en worden, und vergleicht am Ende Mosern in Hinsicht auf 
Wahl gemeinniitziger Gegenstande, tiefe Einsicht, freie tJber- 
sicht, gliickliche Behandlung, griindlichen und frohen Humor 
mit Benjamin Franklin. 

"Diese Vergleichung hatte schon Nicolai in seiner Biogra- 
phic Mosers gemacht, dabei aber auch Sturz in dieselbe hineinge- 
zogen." 



1 1 6 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Dr. Karl Biedcrmann, in his book entitled Deutschland ini 
achtzchntcn JaJirhundcrt, Leipzig, 1880, zweiter Theil, Seite 663, 
discusses Franklin's invention of the lightning-rod and com- 
pares Moser as "Der Erste, der bier eine neue und bessere Bahn 
einschlug, war der grosse Kenner und warnie Frcund deutschen 
Volkslebens. Justus Moser." (S. 706.) 

Nicholai, in Moser's SdmmtUche JVcrke, Berlin, 1842-1843, 
compares in the strongest terms Moser and the American Frank- 
lin. In the lives of the two men there is little in common, except 
that they both worked and labored for the betterment of man- 
kind. Moser showed his tolerance in public opinions and in his 
narrow Osnabriick worked as assiduously as Franklin did in the 
wider court circles. 

In the Samudiing von Vortrdgen fiir das deutschc Volk, 
Band 14, von Wilhelm Frommel und Dr. Friedrich Pfaff, Hei- 
delberg, 1885, No. 10: "Justus Moser, der deutsche Patriot als 
Apologet des Christenthums", von Franz Blanckmeister, page 
402, here we read "Selbst der grosste aller damaligen deut- 
schen Schriftsteller, Goethe, der fiir wahrhafte Geistesgrosse 
einen ofifenen, scharfen und richtigen Blick hatte, hat ihm in 
'Wahrheit und Dichtung' seine warme und begeisterte Huldi- 
gung dargebracht. Er sagt von Mosers patriotischen Phanta- 
sien; seine Vorschlage, sein Rat, nichts ist aus der Luft gegrif^en 
und doch so nicht ausfiihrbar; deswegen er auch die Sammlun- 
gen patriotischen Phantasien genannt. obgleich alles dann sich 
an das Wirkliche und Mogliche halt. Man wi'isste alles. was in 
der biigerlichen Welt vorgeht, rubrizieren, wenn man die Ge- 
genstiinde erschopfen wollte, die er behandelt, und diese Be- 
handlung ist bewunderungswiirdig. ... In Absicht auf 
Wahl gemeinniitzige Gegenstande, auf tiefe Einsicht, freie tjber- 
sicht, gUickliche Behandlung, so griindlichen und frohen Humor 
wusste ich ihm mit niemand als Franklin zu vergleichen." 

Friedrich Nicolai in his Lehcn Justus Mosers, Berlin und 
Stettin, 1797, page 92, says: "Moser als Schriftsteller ist schon 
sehr riclitig mit Franklin verglichen worden." (Berlinische Mo- 
natsschrift, Jul. 1783, Seite 37-38.) 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 117 

Herder and Franklin. 

Herder visited Paris in 1769, and no doubt came into close 
touch with those who sang FrankHn's praises, for France was 
at this time cognizant of this North American, since Frankhn 
visited Paris, as we have seen, for the second time, in 1769. 
Herder in his Briefe ziir Befdrderung der Humanitdt, Riga, 
1793 (Band 17 — Bernhard Suphan, BerHn, 1887), says, page 7: 
"Endhch ist mir die Lebensbeschreibung eines meiner LiebHnge 
in unserem Jahrhundert, B. Franklin's, von ihm selbst fiir einen 
Freund geschrieben, zu Handen gekommen ; aber bedauern Sie's, 
nur in der franzosischen tJbersetzung und nur ein kleines Stiick 
derselben, die friiheren Lebensjahre des Mannes, ehe er volhg in 
seine pohtische Laufbahn trat. . . . Sie wissen, was ich von 
Franklin immer gehahen, wie hoch ich seinen gesunden Ver- 
stand, seinen hellen und schonen Geist, seine sokratische Me- 
thode vorziighch aber den Sinn der Humanitat in ihm geschatzt 
habe, der seine kleinsten Aufsatze bezeichnet. Auf wie wenige 
und klare Begriffe wiss er die verwogensten Materien zuruck- 
zufiihren! Und wie sehr hah er sich allenthalben an die einfa- 
chen, ewigen Gesetze der Natur, an die unfehlbarsten praktischen 
Rcgehi, aus Bediirfniss und Interesse der Menschheit. Oft 
denkt man, wenn man ihn best: 'Wusste ich das nicht auch? aber 
so klar sah ich's nicht, und meist gefehh, dass es bei mir schhchte 
Maxime des Lebens wurden.' Zu dem sind seine Einkleidungen 
so leicht und natiirlich, sein Witz und Scherz so gefalHg und 
fein, sein Gemiith so unbefangen und frohhch, dass ich ihn den 
edelsten Volksschriftsteller unseres Jahrhunderts nennen moch- 
te, wenn ich ihn durch diesen missbrauchten Namen nicht zu 
entehren glaubte. Unter uns wird er dadurch nicht entehrt! 
Wolke Gott wir hiitten in ganz Europa ein Volk, das ihn lase, 
das seine Grundsatze anerkennte, zu seinem eignen Besten da- 
nach handehe und lebte; wo waren wir sodann! 

"FrankHn's Grundsatze gehen allenthalben darauf, gesunde 
Vernunft, Uberlegung, Rechnung, allgemeine Billigkeit und 
wechselseitige Ordnung ins kleinste und grosseste Geschaft der 
Menschen einzufiihren, den Geist der Unduldsamkeit, Harte, 
Tragheit vou ihnen zu verbannen, sie aufmerksam auf ihren Be- 



ii8 Bcnjawin Franklin and Germany 

ruf, sie in einer Milde fortgehenden. iinangestrengten Art ge- 
schiiftigt. fleissig, vorsichtig, und thiitig zu machen, indeni or 
zeigt, dass jede dieser Ubungeii sich selbst belohiiet. jede \'er- 
nachlassigung derselben im Grossen und Kleinen sich selbst 
strafe. Er nimmt sich der Armen an. nicht anders aber als 
dass er ihnen Wege des Fleisses mit iiberwiegentler WTnunft 
eroffnet. Mehrmals hat cr es erwiesen wie hell und bestimmt 
er in die Zukunft sah." . . . (S. 8.) 

Thus we see that Herder held the highest esteem of Frank- 
lin, not only in the humanitarian field, but in the literary world 
as well. Further he says: "Horen Sie nun den guten Alten. und 
Sie finden in seiner Lebensbeschreibung durchaus ein Gegenbild 
zu Rousseau's Confessionen. Wie dieser die Phantasie fast 
immer irre fiihrte. so verlasst jenem nie sein guter Verstand, 
sein unermiidlicher Fleiss, seine Gefalligkeit. seine erfindende 
Thiitigkeit, ich mochte sagen, seine \'ielverschlagenheit und ru- 
hige Beherztheit." 

Haym. in his edition of Herder, makes the following asser- 
tion in regard to Herder's close know^ledge of Franklin: "Als 
einen ersten Stellvertreter der Gesinnungen. die ausschliesslich 
im eignen Namen vorzutragen Herder, jetzt scheu und vorsichtig 
verzichtete, lasst er einen Mann auftreten, den er sich in \'ielen 
verwandt fiihlte, den er als \'olksschriftsteller schon in dem 
Aufsatz 'Uber Spruch und Bild'. gepriesen hatte — den ^Mitbe- 
griinder der Unabhiingigkeit der \'ereinigten Staaten. Benjamin 
Franklin. Erjiatte in Aachen die ganz kurzlich erschienen Me- 
moires de la Vie de B. Franklin kennen gelernt. . . . Er cha- 
rakterisirt den merkwiirdigen Mann, in dem so vorzugsweise der 
Sinn der Humanitiit gelebt habe. den werkthatigen Geist. den Leh- 
rer der^Ienscheit.denOrdner einer grossen I^Ienschengesellscha ft. 
Langst schon hatte er von den kleinen und grosseren Aufsatzen 
seines Lieblings gesammelt was er auftreiben konnte. Gedrucktes 
und Ungedrucktes, und wiirde. ware ihm nicht der betriebsame 
Bertuch zuvorgekommen eine Ubersetzung veranlasst haben." We 
have already seen that he knew the French translation of Frank- 
lin's works, and he had for a long time possessed "Political, 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 119 

Miscellaneous and Philosophical Pieces", by Benjamin Frank- 
lin, London, 1779. 

For the Freitag Gesellschaft, organized July 5, 1791, Frank- 
lin's Rides for a Club, 1 728, were read. These rules were origi- 
nated by Franklin for the "Junto", which afterward grew into 
the American Philosophical Society. Herder explained the aims 
of his Club thus: "Der Zweck dieser Academic ist reine und 
parteiische Wahrheit, das Band ihrer Mitglieder ist National- 
Interesse, gegenseitige Achtung und Schonung." (These same 
ideas we can read in Franklin's expression, "truth for truth's 
sake".) These statutes of the Friday Club were known to its 
members, Goethe, C. G. Voigt, Wieland, Herder, Bode, Knebel, 
J. F. Bertuch, O. Buchholtz.^^ 

Herder translated Franklin's questions, which were to be 
applied to members of the Club, under the following title, Ben- 
jamin Franklin's Rides for a Club established in Philadelphia, 
iibertragen und ausgelegt als Statut fiir eine Gesellschaft von 
Freunden der Humanitdt, von Johann Gottfried Herder, 1792. 
Aus dem Nachlass veroffentlicht und Eduard Simson, zum 22. 
Mai, 1883, zugeeinigt. Berlin, Weidmannische Buchhandlung. 
The first translation of the above made by Herder was annexed 
to a lecture entitled Ober die wahre Unsterblichkeit fiir die Nach- 
ivelt. (Supimn Herder's Werke, 16, 43; note 3.) 

Herder in his Spruch und Bild in Sonderheit bei den Mor- 
genldndern, einige rhapsodische Gedanken, writes: "In alien gu- 
ten Volksschriften, im Landpriester, von Wakefield, z. B. und 
in einer der lehrreichsten Schriften, die unsere Sprache besitzt, 
Lienhard und Gertrud, ist dieser natiirliche Kunstbegriff sehr 
wohl gebraucht. Benjamin Franklin, ein hochachtungswiirdiger 
Name, hat ihn in seinen periodischen Lettern und Kalendern 
fiir Nord Amerika vortrefflich anzuwenden gewusst und sein ein- 
ziger Aufsatz, Die Wissenschaft des guten Richard, enthalt einen 
solchen Schatz von Lebensregeln, dass man in mancher Riick- 
sicht fast auf's ganze Leben nichts mehr bedurfte."^^ 

" Suphan Herder's Werke, 17, 10 ff; 18, 503 ff, 538 ff. 
''Americana Germanica, Herder in Amerika. Marion D Learned Seo- 
tember, 1904. Vol. II, No. 9, p. 565, in the following. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
Franklin in the German Novel. 

I. Pugacew, geschichtlicher Roman, F. Isidor Prosch- 
kow, Band i und 2 (in one volume), Prague, i860; (Kober und 
Markgraf) Viertes Kapitel, S. 106 ff, gives a description of 
Franklin as he sat with a gathering of friends in Portugal in 
the spring of 1775. We feel that the old printer sat back with 
keen satisfaction and listened in silence to the various political 
views, that were aired by his companions. We read: "Der Fine 
dieser Manner, welcher an der rechten Ecke des Tisches lehnte 
und in die reine, blaue Feme hinaufstarrte, von massiger Grosse, 
in der einfachen Tracht eines amerikanischen Gutsbesitzers, mit 
einem offenen, geistreichen Gesicht, schien weder an dem Ge- 
sprache der Anderen, noch an ihrem kleinen Zechgelage Theil 
zu nehmen. Vor ihm stand ein Kristallglas mit reinem Wasser, 
von welchem er zuweilen suppte, wahrend sein ausdrucksvolles 
Auge von Zeit zu Zeit in die fernen Regionen des Himmels 
schweifte; denn ungeachtet schien er mit seinen Gedanken dem 
Gesprache der heitern Zecher zu folgen, dies verrieth das wech- 
selnde Muskelspiel seines Antlitzes und das zeitweilige Nicken 
seines Kopf es. 

"Dieser Mann, an der aussersten Rechte am Tische und von 
so geistreichem Aussehn, war seines eigentlichen Bewerbes ein 
Buchdrucker und ein erfindungsreicher Kopf, denn eben hat er 
lachelnd vernommen, wie eine seiner letzten Erfindungen, ein 
Sparofen, von seinem Freunde, Meredith, welcher dicht an seiner 
Seite recht wacker der Punschbowle zusprach, den Anderen mit 
vielem Ruhme auseinander gesetzt worden war. Aber der Nach- 
bar zur aussersten Linken, am Tische ganz unten, trug nicht die 
ruhigen Ziige der Besonnenheit und Geistesstarke des erwahnten 
Buchdruckers." (Pp. 120-121.) 

The bombastic speeches of the hero himself do not concern 
us here. His views are entirely revolutionary, but Franklin can- 
not refrain from interposing the following remarks (p. 130): 
" 'Das Zwerge mit der Donnerheule des Zeus spielten,' fiel la- 

(120) 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 121 

chelnd der Buchdrucker ein; 'dass das Werk des Lichtes, das 
VVerk Gottes nicht mit Feiier und Schwert, nicht mit Blut und 
Brand gefordert wird!— O Menschheit und Wahnsinn,' setzte 
er hinzii ; 'Ihr meint Berge zti versetzen und einen Welttheil aus 
seinen Fugen zu heben und wisst nicht, ob Eure uniiberwind- 
liche Armada vom Hauche des Weltgeistes verweht, im nachsten 
Sturme zu Boden Sinken wird! Meint Ihr denn, Ihr hochtra- 
benden Titanen, dass die Volker Europas mit all' ihren uralten 
Traditionen, ihren Sitten und Gewohnheiten mit ihrer ganzen 
Geschichte, ein Federball eurer Launen seien, welche Ihr mit 
einem einzigen Gluthauche Eurer falschen Begeisterung in an- 
dere Bahnen wehen konnt ; glaubt Ihr, dass Eurer ersten Anker- 
werfen auf dem Boden Europas, dass die ersten Tone Eurer so- 
genannten Weltposaune die Mauern von Jericho in Triimmern 
zerschmettern werdcn ? Wisst : wie ein Alexander der Eroberer 
werdet Ihr mitten in Eurem Siegeslaufe verschwinden, wie Attila 
im eigenen Blute ersticken, wie Bajazet zuletzt im Kafig enden, 
dessen Eisenstangen die falschen Grundlehren Eurer Freiheit 
sein werden. Wer Sturme saet, wird Sturme ernten, und von 
Euch wird man sagen was Brittanien auf seine Denkmiinze 
schrieb, 'Deus afBavit et dissipati sunt'." 

S. 131: "Aber noch hatte der Buchdrucker, dessen edlen 
Antlitz bei dieser Rede wie das eines gottbegeisterten Sehers der 
Zukunft leuchtete, seine Worte nicht geendet, als der Italiener 
gliihenden Antlitzes wieder aufsprang und auf eine Marmor- 
saule zurannte, welche unweit des Tisches stand und eine schone 
symbolische Statute des geharnischten Kriegesgottes und der 
gefliigelten Gottin der Freiheit trug, zu deren Fiissen eben eine 
Schale mit Purpurfarbe stand, welche der kunstsinnige Gartner 
des weissen Hauses zur Verschonung der beiden Statuen und 
die symbolisch umschlingenden Blumen-Guirlanden bereit gestellt 
hatte. 

"Der Italiener riss den Pinsel aus dieser Schale 
schrieb jetzt mit blutrothen Lapidarzeichen seinen Namen an die 
Statute des Krieges und der fessellosen Freiheit— 'Mazzarini.' 

"Aber ernst und ruhrig nahm ihm jetzt der Buchdrucker den 



122 BcnjaDiin Franklin and Germany 

blutroth gefarbten Pinscl und tauchte ihn in die nebenstehende 
Schale in it klarer weisser Farbe. 

'* 'Auch ich !' ricf er, 'will nieinen Namen zii den Fi'issen 
dieser Statute aufschreiben, und nach einem Jahrzehend soil er 
auch an dieser Stelle zu lesen sein und Zeugenschaft geben, dass 
sich mein Wort bewiihrte: Freiheit, olme Gesetz ist cin Unding, 
auf Blut und Trummern fusst keine stattliche Ordnung, und 
Menschenplane ohne Gottes Hilfe sind Spinngewebe, welche der 
Flug einer kleinen W'espe zerreissen kann.' 

"Und der schlichte Buchdrucker schrieb jetzt mit schnee- 
vveisser Farbe und fester Hand auf die Piedestale der Statue der 
Freiheit in grossen Ziigen seinen Namen: Benjamin Franklin." 

II. In Berthold Auerbach's Das Landhaus ain Rhein, 2. 
Band, 2. Kapitel, Seite 7. Roland's father speaks thus of Frank- 
lin: "Seht iKr! Hier ist ein echter IMensch. das Genie des ge- 
sunden X'erstandes und des festen W'illen. Electricitat ist stets 
in der Luft, aber nicht inimer sammelt sie sich und wird zum 
Blitz, der die Atmosphiire lautert. Das Genie ist die in der Luft 
des Geistes angesaniniclte und freigewordene Electricitat." 

Seite 8: "Kein Philosoph, kein Dichter, kein Staatsmann 
kein Handwerker, kein Gelehrter von Profession, und doch 
alles das zugleich; ein Sohn der Mutter Natur und der Amme 
Erfahrung. der ohne wissenschaftliche Fiihrung im \\\ilde die 
Heilkriiuter selbst iindet. 

"Wenn ich einen Jungling zu erziehen hatte, nicht zu einem 
bestimmten Beruf, sondern nur, dass er ein wahrcr Mensch und 
guter Biirger wiirde, ich wiirde zu ihm sprechen; mein Sohn, 
hier sieh, wie ein IMensch sich selbst bilden kann; ahme ihm 
nach. werde du in dir wie Benjainin Franklin in sich geworden. 
Verstehe mich wohl. Ich sage es gibt in der neuen Geschichte 
keinen zweiten IMenschen, an dessen Leben und Denken sich ein 
Mensch unsrer Tage so heranbilden liess, wie an Benjamin 
Franklin. Warum nicht Washington, der so gross und rein ist? 

"^^'ashington war Soldat und Staatsmann, aber er hat die 
Welt nicht in sich entstehen lassen und nicht aus sich gefunden. 
Er hat durch Beherrschung und Lenkung anderer bewirkt, 
franklin durch Lcnkuno- und Beherrschung seiner selbst. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 123 

"Wenn die Zeit kommt, wo man von Schlachten sprechen 
wird, wie wif heute von Menschenfressen; wenn die ehrliche, 
fleissige, menschenfreiindliche Arbeit die Geschichte der Mensch- 
heit bildet, dann wird ein Mann wie Franklin neu erstehen. Mo- 
ses, Jesus, Mohammed erschien Gott in der Einsamkeit, der 
Witste, Spinoza erkannte ihn in der Einsamkeit der Studirstube, 
Franklin in der Einsamkeit auf dem Meere und im Ringen mit 
der Arbeit. 

"Die Welt wi.irde nicht besonders viele Schonheit haben, 
wenn alle Menschen wiiren wie Franklin, seinem Wesen fehlt jeg- 
licher romantische Duf t ; aber die Welt wiirde in Rechtschaffen- 
heit, Wahrhaftigkeit, Arbeit und Hilfeleistung leben. Jetzt sa- 
gen sie Liebe und freuen sich ihrer schonen Gefiihle, aber ihr 
diirft nur von Liebe reden, wenn ihr sie nie bethiitigt habt. 

"In Franklin ist das von Sokrates und besonders wohlthu- 
end wirkt sein Humor ; er lasst uns auch herzHch lachen. Frank- 
lin ist gute Prosa, verstandig, durchsichtig, haltbar. Das ist das 
Giinstige und Auszeichnende im Leben Franklins, dass er der 
erste 'self-made man' war. 

"Wollten wir dem Alterthum gleich eine mythische Gestalt 
bilden fiir jene Welt, die sich Amerika nennt, von Europa die 
Gotter — ich meine, die geistlichen Ideen mitbrachte und desto 
frei ein eigen Leben aufbaute — wollt ihr eine Menschengestalt 
fiir diesen Gedanken, da steht Benjamin Franklin. Er war voll 
Wissens und niemand hatte ihn gelehrt, er war voll Religion und 
hatte keine Kirche, er war ein Menschenfreund und doch ein 
kluger Kenner ihrer Bosheit. 

"Er hat den Blitz zu leiten verstanden, nicht nur den aus 
den Wolken, sondern auch den aus den Gewittersleidenschaften 
des Menschengemiits ; er hat jene Klugheitsregeln gefasst, die 
gegen Zerfahrenheit sichern, unsere Selbstfiihrung reif machen. 
Warum ich ihn aber zum Fiihrer in der Erziehung eines Men- 
schen nehmen mochte, ist das: er stellt den einfachen, gesunden 
Menschenverstand dar, den fasten und sichern, nicht den genial 
iiberraschenden, aber den biirgerlich, politisch, wissenschaftlich 
und sittlich, ruhig und stetig wohlfiihrend. Luther war der Be- 
sieger des Mittelalters ; Franklin ist der erste moderne, sich 
selbst aufbauende Mensch. 



124 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

"Franklin hat keine neue Grundsatze in die Welt gebracht, 
aber er hat was ein ehrHcher Mensch in sich finden kann, rein 
ausgestaltet. 

"Was Franklin ist iind gibt, hat nichts Besonders, nichts 
Aufregendes, Vorraussehendes, Geheimnisvolles, nichts farbig 
Glanzendes, Blendendes, es ist das Wasser des Lebens, dessen 
alle Kreatur bedarf. Der Mensch des vergangenen achtzehnten 
Jahrhunderts hatte keinen Sinn fiir das Volkstum, konnte ihn 
nicht haben, das war ein Drangen und Treiben aus dem freien 
Gedanken heraus, bis zur Spitze und Schlusse des Jahrhunderts, 
bis zur Revolution. 

"Franklin ist der Sohn dieses Jahrhunderts, er kennt nur 
die dem Menschen eingeborenen Krafte, nicht die ererbten." 

Roland says. Volume 4, page 193: "Ich habe Lilian hier 
getroffen. Sagen Sie nicht, dass wir noch zu jung seien; wir 
sind alter durch Ereignisse. Benjamin Franklin woUte ja ]Miss 
Read auch heirathen, als er achtzehn Jahre alt war. Wir haben 
uns gelobt, erst wenn der Krieg zu Ende, einander anzugehoren." 
III. Charles Sealsfield. Das Kajiitenbiich oder nationale 
Charakteristikcn. Friedrich M. Pels, Leipzig, Seite 193: 

'' 'Sollte das meinen,' unterbrach hier den he f tig auffahren- 
den Oberst Cracker ein anderer unserer zahllosen Obersten; 
'sollte das meinen, denn wer erinnert sich nicht, wie so todlich 
lang und langsam fiir unsere Vater und Vorvater sich damals 
in den achtzigen Jahren die Friedensunterhandlungen zu Paris 
hinzogen ?' 

"'Die doch von einem Franklin geleitet wurden!' machte 
sich hier Oberst Cracker Luft. 

" 'Der sich aber bei dieser Gelegenheit ganz und gar nicht 
als Staatsmann bewies !' fiel wieder der General ein. 'Es unter- 
liegt gar keinem Zweifel. dass er, iiberlistet vom schlauen Ver- 
gennes. bereits auf die Basis eines zwanzigjahrigen Waffenstill- 
standes zwischen uns und England, zu L^nterhandeln ange fan- 
gen, als Jay noch zu rechter Zeit sich durch an die englischen 
Minister wandte, und statt des \\\affenstillstandes den Prieden, 
und somit die L"^nabhangigkeitsanerkennung erhielt. Das war 
dem Pranzosen ein Donnerschlag, und er zeigte sich ausseror- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 125 

dcntlich ungebardig, denn nach seinem perfiden Pliinchen sollten 
wir die englische Botmassigkeit nur abgeschiittelt haben, um in 
die franzosische iiberzugehen ; aber Jay blieb fest, und Franklin, 
obwohl von den Lockungen des f ranzosischen Hofes umsponnen, 
gewahrte endlich doch seinen Fehler,' " 

Seite 194: "Diese friihe, gesunde republikanische, — uns so 
eigentiimliche Erziehung — die uns ebensowohl zum Regieren — 
als Gehorchen eignet — lernen wir erst gehorig schatzen, wenn 
wir unter die unerzogenen oder verzogenen Volker und Nationen 
sowohl unseres Amerikas als Europas geworfen, ihre Kindheit, 
Hilflosigkeit und Unerfahrenheit gleichsam mit Handen zu grei- 
fen Gelegenheit erhalten." 

IV. Elise Polko, in lier book entitled Musikalische Mdrchen, 
Phantasicn und Skizzen, Leipzig, 1877 (Band I, S. 145-163, Die 
Erfindung dcr Harmonika), tells in a most delightful manner, in 
her style so dear to the hearts of children, of the visits of the re- 
nowned Dr. Franklin to the family Davis in London. Mary 
Davis, the elder of the two charming daughters of the widow 
Davis, felt the deepest veneration for the philosopher, and even 
in spite of his years the fibers of her heart were aften touched 
by a tinge of love that seemed to grow because of the absolute 
impossibility of such a union. One afternoon, Dr. Franklin was 
suddenly overcome, in their presence, by an attack of severe ill- 
ness and Mary thinking that the aged man was about to die, ran 
madly out into the cold wintry evening and after a long search 
returned with a physician. Dr. Franklin's illness was of short 
duration, but Mary by the exposure had caught a cold, that left 
so disastrous an effect that her beautiful voice whose tones had 
so often delighted Franklin in wonderful songs, was no more. 
The story relates the circumstances in a most realistic manner, 
and we are told that to alleviate the terrible affliction that had 
befallen Miss Davis, he invented for her the flute-toned har- 
monica. 



CHAPTER IX. 
Letters From Austria and Germany to Franklin. 

The letters here quoted have all been taken from the original 
manuscripts in the American Philosophical Society of Philadel- 
phia. With few exceptions, this is the first time that they have 
appeared in print. There are eighty-nine letters in the German 
language directed to Franklin, in the above mentioned collection ; 
many of them in the best legible form, many unfortunately prac- 
tically illegible. The letters from Germans to Franklin were 
usually addressed in the French language, or in English, strongly 
marked with foreign properties. On many of the German let- 
ters we find somewhere a note in red ink, in Franklin's own 
hand, asking for a resume or translation of the letter in question. 

The arrangement of the following letters is a chronological 
one, and includes but a meagre proportion of manuscripts, worthy 
of careful consideration. The correspondence with the Austrian 
physician, Ingen Housz, would form a large chapter in itself. 
In the Library of Congress, there can be found a number 
of this doctor's letters addressed to Jefferson, after the return 
of Franklin to America. In the book entitled Jan Ingen Housz, 
sein Lchcn iind seine Wcrke als Natiirforschcr und Arzt; imter 
Mitivirkung von Professor Th. Escherich, Professor E. Mach, 
Professor R. von Topley und IVegscheider, by Professor Julius 
Wiesner (Festausgal)e zum I. Internationalen botanischen Kon- 
gress in Wien, 1905), there is mention that the K. K. Hofbib- 
liothek contains Ein im Nachlasse gefundenes Manuscript, 
zvelches die lateinische Ubersetzung zahlreicher Brief e enthdlt, 
die an Franklin in Bctrcff der Elektricitdt von verschicdencn 
Gclehrten gcrichtct ivurdcn. One letter from Franklin to Ingen 
Housz was sold in an auction in Munich, 1882, but the purchaser 
cannot be found. A collection treating the correspondence of 
Franklin with this Austrian court physician, can be found in the 
Antographen Katalog von Gilhofcr und Ratichburg in Wien 
(Auktion III, 2 Marz, 1901), here the contents of the letters are 
given in brief. Among these there is a reference to a letter from 

(126) 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 127 

Franklin, dated September 19, 1786, which discusses medical 
methods. Unfortunately, from Professor Wiesner's careful 
search in the "Wiener Universitatsbibliothek", we are assured 
that there are absolutely no letters of Franklin to be had. (From 
a letter to the author, April 3, 19 13.) 

"Wien, 3. April 1913. 
"Sehr geehrtes Fraulein ! 

"Ihr Schreiben mit dem Poststempel Philadelphia, 10. 
Marz, habe ich erhalten und durch dasselbe lernte ich Ihre Wiin- 
sche die Correspondcnz Ingen Housz, Franklin betrefifend, zu 
kennen. 

"Leider kann ich diese Wiinsche nicht erfiillen und zwar 
aus folgenden Gri'mden. 

"Aus der mir zuganglich gewesenen Korrespondenz des 
Ingen Housz und aus anderen vertraulichen Documenten geht 
mit Bestimmtheit hervor, dass Ingen Housz mit Franklin in inni- 
gem Verkehr gestanden. Fine Arbeit iiber Warmeleitung ist von 
beiden gemeinschaftlich ausgefiihrt worden, aber schliesslich 
von Ingen Housz allein veroffentlicht. Aber trotz vieler Bemii- 
hungen ist es mir nicht die regen Briefe ihrer zweifellos sehr rei- 
chen Korrespondenz aufzutreiben. Die Wiener Universitats- 
bibliothek besitzt gar keine Briefe dieser Korrespondenz, wo ich 
besonders anfiihre, da Sie hofften, von dort Briefe zu bekom- 
men oder Adressen zu erhalten. 

"Es tut mir sehr leid, dass ich Ihnen sehr geehrtes Fraulein 
nicht dienen kann. 

"Hochachtungsvoll, 
"Ihr ergb. 

"J. WiESNER." 

(a) Correspondence from Austria. 
Franklin's correspondence from Austria centers around his 
intercourse with the physician and scientist, Jan Ingen Housz, 
and is a' most interesting one, since he discussed with his friend a 
varied series of subjects ranging from science to politics and 
from personal matters to those of imperial courts. From Passy, 
October 2, 1781, he gives Ingen Housz the following description 



128 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

of Arnold's treatment as depicted in the Philadelphia German 
Almanac: "You will see by a German Almanac which I send 
you, how his Effigies was treated at Philadelphia. And since you 
ask for American Newspapers, I will send you some German 
Ones. We have there in that language published weekly at 
Philadelphia and Germantown, by which you may judge that the 
People with us who speak it are very numerous and now that 
England can no longer monopolize our commerce the aged 
Connection of that people with their Mother Country will be a 
means of opening a considerable American Trade with Germany 
by the North Seas and the Mediterranean. ... I last year 
requested of Congress to release me from the Service, that I 
might spend the Evening of Life more agreeably in philosophic 
Leisure. But I was refused."^^ 

Previous to the above Ingen Housz had written from Brus- 
sels on May 3, 1780 — 'T hope you are not so entirely involved in 
the troubles and business of the world Politics, as to have 
abandoned entirely the world Nature whose laws made by the 
supreme wisdom and is constant and unalterable as its legislature 
himself. It would indeed, be bad to me to conceive that a man a 
Philosopher so often and so successfully employed in researches 
of the most intricate and the most mysterious operations of 
Nature, should have so far lost all feeling for those truly delight- 
ful occupations of mind, as to be given over without reserve to 
the pursuit of systems formed by man and build upon founda- 
tions of so little solidity, as to be often overturned by men, and 
accidental circumstances."^*^ 

"To his excellency Benj. Franklin 
minister plenipot. from the Congress 
to the French Court. 
"Dear Sir 

"I hope you have received in du time my last dated April 
24 together with the copy of a book in the German language. 
Mr. le Begue has the original first Manuscript in hands, but does 



*' American Philosophical Society. 
*" American Philosophical Society. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 129 

not go on with printing of it . . . [Here is inserted a refer- 
ence to his friend Wharton's honesty and two letters are intrusted 
in this letter to Franklin to be handed over to this same friend.] 

"The Emperor does not give all hope of seeing you here as 
minister on the entering general Congress; but nobody wishes 
more sincerely for such a meeting as i. Let me hear from you 
weather our hopes are grounded, and weather Lord Shelburn 
and Mr. Fox will declare you a free people. I hope that you are 
content with your countrymen. 

"Mr. Le Begue informs me he has a letter you wrote to me 
but not finished. But, pray, send it to me as it is, if you should 
not have time to finish it. Let me have something to tell from 
you to my Imperial Master, who often asks me news about you. 
letters delivered to Count Mercy will surely come to hand. 

"i expect the new English ministers will soon become as 
haughty as the former if succes attend the national armies, as 
this caracter is that of the whole nation. 

"Give my best compliments to your son, and do not entirely 
forget 

"your old and faith full 
"friend J. Ingen Housz. 

"Vienna Austria, Juin 12th, 1782." 

"To his excellency B Franklin, Minister Plenip. of the United 

States at Passy. 
"Dear Friend — 

[After an incidental mention of the lightning experiment 
demonstrated in Cremona and the request that Franklin may sub- 
mit to him an explanation for the same, the next letter reads as 
follows] : ". . . I do not give up hopes of a general Con- 
gress being held at Vienna, as, besides the affaires to be adjusted 
between Gr. Britain and the United States of America, the other 
European Powers have direct or indirect relation with America, 
as a New power starting up all at once, old treaty between Gr. 
Brittain & Holland will be annihilated and new ones made and 
many new regulations must take place between all the European 
Powers, after the tremendous power of that proud insulary na- 
tion will be reduced to a mere moderate condition. All those 



130 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

things cannot be adjusted so soon and require some time to be 
settled, which I imagine can't be conveniently done but by con- 
voking a congress. 

"i am very glad to see that your wighty political occupa- 
tions have not yet been able to make you laid aside those pur- 
suits which were formerly your favorite studies. I hope that 
for the sake of Philosophy, that you will fulfill your desire to 
pass the evening of life in the pursuit of nature's laws. I wish 
I was at Liberty to follow you on the Spot, where you will 
finish 3^ou glorious carreer, and where i myself have had the 
strongest inclination to finish mine : and indeed this thought 
had a great wight with me in resolving to employe a part of my 
fortune in a way, by which there was a faire prospect of aug- 
menting my Stock so as to make me independent of Europe: 
and indeed if I could write to you, what I think upon the times 
to be expected in this country, you would certainly think it 
much better for me to live in a country of freedom whose laws 
are framed by those who submit to them, and where no frowns 
of a monarch will ever inspire terror and apprehension to any 
man. . . . [Here follows a discussion of the lightning 
and the expression of the writer's appreciation of Franklin's 
knowledge in such matters.] . . . they believe you have 
rightly understood the meaning of the author, as I remember 
having run over the performance when I was with you at Passy. 
i made an extract of what you wrote about the American 
Affairs in the letter accompaning the reflections on pere Bart- 
lett's book — and at what you say that it is the interest of whole 
Europe to prevent a federal connexion between Gr. Britain & 
the American free states; join some reflections about the danger 
to be apprehended for the tranquility of Europe if so proud 
and auarlsome a nation should be again united with North 
America to also have its full support in time of warr and be at 
an expense to keep it in time of peace. I did make use of those 
reflexions you communicated to me by reasoning about this 
affair. I gave the paper to the first lord of the bedchamber, who 
gave it to the Emperor. He kept it. But I made no extract of 
Your letter of July 4th, as you write me the contents are for 
my private information. I am much obliged to you for those 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 131 

informations and will be very glad of knowing from time to 
time who your coimtrie affaires go on. But it is a pity that 
letters remain such long while behind. . . . [Here he writes 
his intention of forwarding his mail by the hands of Count 
Mercy and tells Franklin of Le Begue's impression of his own 
books.] 

"i am very respectfully 
"Dear Sir 

"Your obedient humble serv. 

"and affectionate friend 

"J. Ingen Housz." 

"to Bej. Franklin 
"Passy. 
"Dear Friend, 

"This is only to accompany the adjoined letter to Mr. Wein- 
brenner, who as you see, does not lose time to make use of your 
kind proposition of giving some introductory letters to his agent, 
who is Mr. DonatJi. This gentleman will set out in a few weeks 
for Philadelphia, New York & Boston, where he will spend 
two years. He will carry with him various productions of this 
country. I hope you will as soon, as convenient for you, grant 
the request of Mr. Weinbrenner. 

"Your original letter with the medal inclosed is not yet come 
to hand, neither the Philadelphia Almanac, you was so good 
as to send me a year ago . . . [describes his enclosed 
profile] . 

"Your advice about the statuary was thankfully received 
and approved of. I received at last from le Bague the first sheets 
of my book under the press at Paris — I did not find a single 
typographical error in them. 

"I hope still to see you here with your grandson before you 
set out for your beloved America. 

"i am with greatest estime 

"Your most obedient serv. 
"and affectionate friend 
"J. Ingen Housz. 
"Vienna juin 23, 1783." 



132 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

"Dear Friend 

"Mr. Grand acquainted me with your save arrival, your 
continuation in good health and with your being appointed gov- 
ernor of Pennsylvania. This happy news has filled me with so 
much pleasure that I cannot but wish you joye on it. . . . 

"I publish from time to time some new books either in Ger- 
man or in French and should wish to send you a copy of them 
if I knew an opportunity to send it over without expense. 

"I hope the two volumes of my German books, Vcrmischte 
Schriften, are come to hand. They are delivered in hands of 
Mr. Grand. The Emperor and other great fox ask me often 
whether I have got no letters from you. 

"I hope you have found your country in the enjoyment 
of Freedom, which they owe to you, and that you enjoy your- 
self the happiness you deserve for your services from a grate- 
full Nation, and strength enough of mind and body to consoli- 
date their union, without which they can't remain free nor re- 
spectable. 

"Yours 

"J. Ingen Housz 
"Vienne in Autriche March 8, 1786." 

The following letter from Valltravers and from J. M. Bir- 
ckenstoch serves to show the high esteem in which another mem- 
ber of the court circle of Vienna held Franklin : 

"Vienna in Germany June i, 1785. 
"Sir! 

"Our worthy mutual Friend, Dr. Ingenhousz, has imparted 
to me, your long wished for Release from yr., alltho' honor- 
able, yet too laborious public Station, most gloriously filled 
these 50 years; not only to the salvation of yr. own native 
Country from wicked abuse of yr. faith full Loyalty & Attach- 
ment to yr. mother Country, from its selfish & tyrannical oppres- 
sion & intended bondage but to the Benefit of all Mankind, by 
establishing & maintaining a sacred Asylum to distressed In- 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 133 

dustry to persecuted Merit & to rational legal Liberty all the 
World over. Give me Leave, dear Sir, as an old Friend & 
admirer of yours to congratulate with You, on the approaching 
Returne of Yr. peaceable domestic Felicity and the well deserved 
Applause of yr. forever obliged constituents & their remotest 
Posterity. 

"The friendly Invitation you have given to Dr. Ingenhousz, 
to come over to Philadelphia, and to join you and yr. Labors 
& those of yr. Academy, to promote use full Knowledge, Arts 
and Sciences, has been a very tempting one. Had it pleased 
Heaven to prolong the Life of the late Empress-Queen, he might 
have obtained her Leave, to absent himself for some years 
and still to hold the Pension of L500 per annum bestowed upon 
him, . . . 

"1 have translated yr. Instrtictions to those who think of 
settling in N. America into the German Language & apply 'd 
for Leave to print it But the Censure would not permit its 
Publication. There being an excellent Printing Office at Phila- 
delphia in the german Language, directed by Mr. Heiner, I sh. 
most willingly furnish him, not only with this, but also many 
other interesting translations for the Benefit, both of the Ameri- 
can States & for the Inhabitants of Europe, which might obtain 
a ready sale at Hamburg, for all Germany and Switzerland. 
Such as Mr. Adams Letters of an American Farmer; and what 
Performances of yours and of yr. Academicians, might be in- 
trusted to my Translation into german, french, and Italian — I 
would also translate some excellent french Publications into 
English, for the Use of the Americans; such as Mr. Polieu 
Treatise du Goiwernement des Moeurs; or what other works you 
would be pleased to point out to me. Thus would the Remainder 
of my Days not be lost, as was my whole Life, in profitable, 
useful Action and Instruction. Happy, if guided by yr. Knowl- 
edge and Experiences, and actuated by my Love of mankind, 
I can be made instrumental, in any Degree in promoting and 
diffusing of Truth, Vertue and Happiness! 

"With this my fixed Resolution founded on such Principles, 



134 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

I humbly beg leave to crave the Continuance of yr. Kindness 
& Friendship to 
"Sir! 

"Yr. Excellcy's 

"Most sincerely devoted hble. Serv. 
"Rodh. Valltravers." 

"Monsieur, 

"L'accueil flatteur, dont Mr. Ingenhousz, les gens de lettres 
en general et, j'ose le dire, le Corps diplomatique d'ici ont 
honore (-Monsieur) — cy- jointe m'enhardit, Monsieur, d'en pre- 
senter a Votre Excellence quelques exemplaires en Vous sup- 
pliant de les agreer comme un hommage de ma part, et de vouloir 
bien en distribuer aux heros et hommes d'etat chez vous, qui 
prendront quelqu' interet au sujet a une production dans ce genre 
parceque je sais que vous I'avez aime, Ne Soyez pas surpris 
Monsieur de vous paroitre au milieu de Vienne un monument 
du Roi Frederic. . . . 

" . . . j'ai essaye de concentrer dans co tableau sa vie 
sa caractere, ses actions memorables, I'histoire et I'esprit de son 
reigne la marche et la profondeur de sa politique de peindre ce 
Prince unique d'apres la verite sans adulation, sans la defier. 
. . . Votre Excellence sera a tous egards le juge le plus com- 
petent, le plus impartial du merite de I'ouvrage. . . . 

"Je prie Dieu, qu'il Vous conserve a la gloire de Votre 
patrie, a la consolation de toutes les gens de bien, une longue 
suite d'annees, et qu'il Vous comble des benedictions reserves 
aux plus dignes mortels. Agreez ces Voeux Mansieur aussi 
vraies et sinceres, qui seront toujours les sentiments plenis de 
respect et de veneration, avec lesquels j'ai I'honneur d'etre 
"De Votre Excellence 

"Le tres humble et tres obeissant 
"Serviteur 
"J. M. Birckenstock 

"Consoiller antique actuel de sa Majeste le Empereur 
"a Vienne 
"a Vienne 
"en Autriche 
"ce 29 Decembre 1786." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 



135 



(b) Correspondence from Germany 

The following list has been made from actual letters to 
Franklin. Their contents varies. In some we find mere inquiries 
as to the whereabouts of relatives or friends. In others expres- 
sions of praise or veneration for Dr. Franklin's achievements 
or petitions to him for his intercession and interest in a personal 
or commercial enterprise : 



I. Anspach 


21. 


Felsberg 


2. Augsburg 


22. 


Frankfurt a/M. 


4. Berlin 


23- 


Giessen 


3. Bahlingen (Wurtemburg) 


24. 


Gotha 


5. Bonn 


25- 


Hamburg 


6. Bremen 


26. 


Hannover 


7. Butzow 


27- 


Heidelberg 


(Mecklinburg-Schwerin ) 


28. 


Hildeheim 


8. Cassell 


29. 


Homburg 


9. Carlsruhe 


30- 


Jena 


10. Colmar 


31- 


Kiel 


1 1 . Cologne 


32. 


Landeshutt (Silesia) 


12. Ciistrin 


33- 


Leipzig 


13. Dessau 


34- 


Ludwigsburg 


14. Dresden 


35- 


Mainz 


15. Durlach (Schwaben) 


36. 


Mannheim 


16. Dusseldorf 


37- 


Metz 


17. Ebingen 


38. 


Miinchen 


18. Einsenach 


39- 


Nordhausen 


19. Erfurt 


40. 


Niirnberg 


20. Erlangen 


41. 


Strassburg 




42. 


Stuttgart 



A Letter of Thanks. 
"Monsieur 

"La compliance que vous avez cue a me procurer une autre 
joli Perspective me fait prendre la Liberte a vous prier derechef 
de m'envoyer le plutot possible encore un pareil. . . . 

"Je serrai par contre toujours pret a vos ordres dans ces 
quartiers ci et ne demand que I'occasion a vous prouver le sin- 



136 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

cere attachment et la parfaitc Consideration avec laquelle j'ai 
rhohneiir d'etre. 

"Monsieur 

"Votre trcs humble et tres 
"obeissant serviteur 
"L. M. Leither 
"Conseller de S. A. S. Electorate Palatine 
"francfort 
"le 16 Mars 1767- 
"Mes assurance de Respect 
"a Mr. John Pringle." 

''Cassell March 17, 1770 
"Sir; 

"I sympathize so much with Your publick spirit and your 
Genius You have happily devoted to your countries service and 
improvement of natural Philosophy, that the keeping; me in Your 
good remembrance is the least liberty I can indulge me with. I 
cannot therefore neglect to trouble You with these lines and to 
recommend You, Mr. Lichtcnberg, Professor of Mathematics and 
natural Philosophy in the University of Giessen. He is very 
desirous to be nearer acquainted with a Man he values so high 
in so many respects ; and besides he himself will plead the liberty 
I take and easily gain a part in the friendship you have bestowed 
on me. 

"The compliments for me, which last Summer You ordered 
to Mr. Merk, who had the honour to see You in Switzerland, 
have been delivered to me. They were very welcome to me, as 
shall l;)e too the dearer proof of Your continuing my worthy 
friend the new Edition of Your electrical letters, which I hope 
will now be finished. 

"I recommend me to Your and to Mr. Pringle's further 

favour and have the honour to be with the highest and warmest 

regard 1 '*^, 

"Dear Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant 

"R. E. Raspe" 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 137 

Rudolf Erich Raspe, the German antiquarian and miner- 
alogist and author of Baron Milnclihausens ErzUhlungen seiner 
zvunderbaren Reise und Kreigsabentener in RUssland from which 
he had drawn on Swift. We see thus that literary men in Ger- 
many had personal acquaintance with Franklin and Sir John 
Pringle. 

"Munchen, April 10, 1773. 
"Sir: 

"The fame of your knowledge and of your Humanity is 
spread abroad in all the nations of Europe so that i take the 
Liberty to write you and to inquire you about the possibility of 
the Merchandising which a company of Bavarie will undertake 
in the American Republic. We do hope for much supporting 
to the accomplishing of this our design in the Maritime Towns 
of Germany, Holland, France and Spain. But we have not 
accounts enough from the American coast ; you shall oblige in- 
finitely our Company, if you did order, that any man give us 
Notice of the Merchandises, which we could put off upon the 
American coast, likewise of the American products, which we 
could sell in Europe. But your command can procure us that 
information. We are reminded to send a factor to Philadelphia 
in this yet. We desire your counsel and your orders and tell 
you with all the Liberty republican, that we are your worship- 
ers, i am with very much esteem 
"Sir 

"your very humble servant 

"jos. Utschneider bailiff 

"to Anger in Bavarie 
"You will pardon my dry 
"stile to a learning." 



'Bonn, sur le Rin le 18 Jan. 1778 



"Wollgebohrner Herr 



"Hochzuverehrender Herr. 

"Schon vom Amfang des jezigen Americanischen Krieges 
hatte ich das grosseste Verlangen dem Hochpreisslichen General 
Congress brave zu dienen ; aber unzulangliche Mittel zur Reise 



1^8 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

hinderten diesen Vorsatz ; Nun wo ich seit einiger Zeit alles dazii 
ersparrt habe, um entweder iiber Paris oder Rotterdam abzuge- 
hen, da finde ich in denen hiesigen Zeitungen das gehorsamst 
beigelegte unterstrichen Avertisement, zu immcr grosser Ver- 
vvunderung. Ich glaube zwar dass es von einem miissigen Kopf 
frei inserirt worden; jedoch iind um meine Raise nach America 
mit Gewisheit und niitzhch unternehmen zu konnen. So will ich 
mich mit Eur. Wohlgeborn. hochgeneigter Erlaubniss hier durch 
um den Grund oder Ungrund dieses Advertisements ganz treu 
gehorsamst erkundingen und wiinsche dass es ganz falsch seye — 
und Gott der Allemachtige denen Waffen des hochpreiss. Con- 
gresses einen unaufhaltlichen Sieg in Gnaden geben moge. . . . 
"Eur. Wohlgeb. 

"treu gehorsamer Diener, 

"August Wilhelm Weyl." 

Enclosed we find a copy of the "Gnadigst privilegirtes 
Bonnisches Intelligenz-Blatt, Dienstag, den I3ten Januar 
1778." Under the "Politische Nachrichten" we read "Auszug 
eines Schreibens von einem Offizier zu Philadelphia, vom 27sten 
Oktober," the following: 

"Vor einiger Zeit ist grosse Anzahl Offiziers, welche mit 
Rekommendations — Briefe von den Herrn Franklin und Deane 
versehen waren, von hier nach Amerika abgereiset, und theils 
zu Boston, theils zu Charles-Town angekommen. Von da haben 
sie an den Herrn Washington und den Kongress geschrieben, 
um bei der amerikanischen Armee placirt zu werden; sie 
haben aber zur Antwort erhalten dass keine Platze vakant 
waren. . . . 

"Man spricht wiederum stark vom Kriege. und einige halten 
solchen fiir unvermeidlich. . . . 

"Der Herr Franklin hat dieser Tage eine lange Konferenz 
mit dem Ministerium gehabt, und ist von demselben mit vieler 
Achtung begegnet worden." 

This letter is accompanied by an English translation of the 
newspaper clipping and a short resume of Weyl's German letter. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 139 

This shows that Franklin's knowledge of the German language 
IS most limited. 

The gist of this is as follows : 

A. W. Weyl, the author of it, says that he had always 
entertamed a great deal of good will for the Congress and has 
a mnid to prove instrumental to them in the present war but 
he has read m the newspaper of Bonn (whose there is an ex- 
emplary enclosed) that a great deal of officers being gone to 
America with recommendation from D. Franklin and M Deane 
has been refused by Congress. 

He asks whether this news be true or false. 

Jacob Hemmer, in a Latin letter written from Mannheim, 
Uctober 8, 1778, sends a very comprehensive list of books for 

tT^' , ^""^"f 'u''' "'' '^' ^^"°^^"^ ^^hether Franklin 
had knowledge of the authors is doubtful, but he must have 
heard indirectly of such as Lessing, Wieland, Gottsched and 
Klopstock) : 

grammatica germanica Testamen artes 

poetica germ, 
doctrina de praepositionibus germ, 
grammatica germ. 

Derivates vocabulorum germ. 2 vol. 
Opera omnia prosica et poet. 
Satyra. 6 vol. 
Opera poeta et prosa. 
Opera varia 

comedia 
tragedia 
dramaturgic 
bibliotheca theatralis 
Opera poetica 
Opera prosaica 
Armadis 
Sternheim 
Diogenes 
Speculum aureum 



Gottsched 

Reichard 

Hemmer 

Fulda 

Gellert 

Rabner 

Gesner 

Lessing 



Wieland 



140 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Don Sylvio 

Agathon 
Uz Opera poetica 

Hagedorn Opera poetica 

Klopstock Messias 

Oda 

Opera poetica et prosaica 
Zacharia Poemata universa 

List without works Jacobi, Miiller, Haller, Kaniz, Kleist, 

Nicholai, Ramler. 

"Heidelberg, Oct. 10, 1778. 
"Hond. Sir 

"According to your request I have taken the liberty in 
writing to you having enclosed five letters directed to the care 
of Mr. Parr a particular friend of mine in Philadelphia, as my 
business obliges me to tarry longer here than I first expected — 
& anxious that my friends should hear from me, I have taken 
this liberty of enclosing them to your care & if opportunity 
oflfers, I should be under many obligations you will take the 
trouble of transmitting them to America. I was sorry I had 
not the happiness of seeing you before my departure from Paris. 
I waited on you to take my leave but you had gone to Ver- 
sailles. In regard of my objection coming to this country — 
which I informed you I am so far happy in hearing it is at 
interest and under the care of a wealthy Uncle. ... I am 
likewise happy to inform you that I am in this country amongst 
the midst of friends of our cause from the Lord to the Peasant — 
I have been examined through every garrison I passd but found 
no interruption in my rout. I daily carry my uniform — acknowl- 
edge my rank & support the character of an AmericanOj^'c^rr — 
in general the Germans have had a feint Idea of the Strength 
of our country & for what our glorious opposition was for — 
many have visited me and are anxious for going to America — 
the Elector left this last week for Bavaria when he succeeds 
the last dececyd Elector their appears to be a general discontent 
among the people here of Protestant societies, about their 
rulers — who are chiefly of the Catholic Religion which has made 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 141 

great partys — & seem to bear a great antipathy to each other — 
particularly in the present war between the Emperor & the 
King of Prussia — the former secretly praying for Prussian suc- 
cess ... as I now have given you a knowledge of my safe 
arrival . . . & the disposition of the people in this part of 
the globe toward us. 

"I shall conclude not forgetting to return you many thanks 
for your friendly consul. I have the Honour to remainc with 
much respect your Honour's most 

"Obt. Hbl. Servant Jacob Rieger." 

"Frankfort-on the Maine Oct. 21st 1778. 
"The author asks Franklin for a letter directed to him from 
Mr. Dumas and continues thus ; . . . 

". . . . Mr. Dumas also writes, that a ship arrived at 
Bordeaux, it is said, Rhode-Island is taken and the B. troops are 
made prisoners — I pray God you very speedily receive an authen- 
tic confirmation of this important news. . . . 

"Private letters from Paris received by a banker in this city 
also say that the court of Spain had resolved on taking an imme- 
diate & open part in favor of Am — as you best know if there is 
any foundatin for it. 

"In the English papers of the 6 & 10 inst. which perhaps 
you have not yet seen, there are ministerial paragraphs declaring 
the great discontent that prevail in France on account of the late 
captures, against Monsieur Saree and yourself, who they say — 
are looked upon as the chief causes of the war — and they give out 
that you were obliged to refuge at Ver ... to avoid the 
resentment of the mob. Your popularity in France to suffer such 
fabrications to meet with the least credit or cause uneasiness to 
any of your friends. 

"I have the honor to be with the highest respect and esteem 
"Sir 

"Your most obligd 

"and 
"most obedient 

"Servant 
"Sam. W. Stockton" 



142 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

The father of our famed Baron von Steuben petitioned 
FrankHn in several letters to give him information concerning 
the welfare of his son. These letters with one exception are in 
German and in passages very difficult to read. The dates of four 
not given here are (i) February 11, 1780; (2) December i, 
1781; (3) January i, 1783; (4) March 29, 1783. 

This letter is written in German as well as French. 

"Monsieur I'ambassadeur, 

"Ayant vu dans la Gazette frangaise que mon fils etait verit- 
ablement en service ameriquain. en qualite de General Inspecteur 
je prends de vous la liberte d'impartuner. Votre Excellence en la 
priant tres humblement d'avoir la bonte de I'ay faire remettre la 
Lettre incluse. Les qualites eminentes de votre amiable caractere 
sont trop connues pour que je I'aye pas tout lieu dis pour que vous 
voudres bien avoir la bonte de ne pas me refuser cette grace. 

"Je suis et demeurai jusqu'au tombeau avec la reconaissance 
la plus grande de la consideration la plus distinguee. 
"De Votre Excellence. 

"Le tres humbler et tres obeirs. serv. 
"Signe W. A. von Steuben 
"Major & Chevalier de I'ordre pour le 
"merite, 
"Custrin le 6 Nov. 1779." 

"Hochwohlgeborener Herr, 

"Hochstzuehrender Herr Ambassadeur 
"Eur Excellenz miissen die Freyheit Eur (fiir) aber man- 
ches Schreiben an meinen Sohn den General Leutnant zu iibersen- 
den mit gantz gehorsamstem Bitte die Giinstigkeit zu haben und 
es mit sehr gutem BegrifTe mit Worten zu befordern die ich mit 
vollem Respect beharre. 

"Eur. Excellenz, 

"Gehorsamster Diener, 
"W. A. von Steuben. 
"Custrin 

"d. 18. October 
"1780." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 143 

A letter from von Steuben Ciistrin, April 10, 1780, expresses 
his joy that his son has written to him, and requests the forward- 
ing of the enclosed letter This shows that Franklin, no doubt, 
urged Lieutenant von Steuben to write to his aged father. 

"Reverend Father 

"As a child of Science & a person who owes to you a pro- 
tection & numberless attentions during my stay at Paris which 
will do me profit and honor all my life, I feel toward you more 
than duty and veneration which would be due to a natural parent 
for such obligations. . . . 

"The coolness with which science is courted at Leipsig & a 
general disposition to a contentment in such discoveries as the 
sons of Science in France or great Britain may throw into the 
world, tends to continue old usages and theories, such parts of 
the School of Leipsic, as I have at present acquaintance with 
appear much inferior to that of Paris & no way superior to that 
young seminary which owes its birth to you & which has already 
reflected infinite honor to its Patrons reputation & utility to that 
Countr}'^ which can only boast of producing Doct. Franklin. 

"There is a school at Leipsic where the unhappy mutes of 
both sexes & all ages are taught to write, speak & read similar to 
those of Paris and Edinburgh, I was shown there by a friend — 
when a young pupil of fifteen enquired what countrymen I was, 
perceiving me to be a stranger — The Master told I was from 
North America & asked him if he knew what country that was, 
the pupil answered yes, it was Doct. Franklin's country & that it 
lay there, pointing to the West. 

"For the character, station & person of him by whose name 
the dumb are even capable of distinguishing a vast powerful! 
Western country — permit me to submit to the honor of his ac- 
ceptance the profoundest sentiments of gratitude, duty & most 
humble regard — & allow me to wish that gracious heaven may, 
by his life & health continue to his country a fond & affectionate 
Father, and honorable Patron to Science an ornament & usefull 



144 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

citizen to the Universe & Parent to whom no one among the 
children of America can owe greater obHgation than 
"Yours most sincere friend 
"& truly humble sert. 
"John Foulke 
"Passy. 
"Leipsic, Oct. 12th, 1781, 

"His Excellency Doct. Franklin." 

"Sir, 

"Permit me to introduce to Your acquaintance the Bearer 
Mr. Loder, first physician to the Duke of Saxe Weimar a Man 
remarkable for his natural & acquired talents & one of the first 
Anatomists of our Germany. The happy moments which my 
Son has passed in Yr. company & the civilities You honoured him 
with as well as the condescendence & kindness You are used to 
treat with, all Men of talents & Science let me hope a favorable 
reception of my Friend Loder & will serve as an Apology for the 
Liberty I presume to take on this occasion. 

"Give me leave at the same time to congratulate You, on 
the happy prospect of seeing your Country at last acknowledged 
as independent by all Europe & Great Britain itself. The Satis- 
faction of seeing this great work so near a Conclusion at a gen- 
eral Pacification, must naturally contribute to Yr. happiness, who 
have had so great a Share in the Delivering Your Country from 
the oppressions of a Set of despotick Men, then at the head of ye 
British Administration. May providence shower down on You 
the choicest of her Blessings, is the sincere wish, together with 
the most respectuous regard of 

"Sir 
"Your 
"most obedt. humble Servant 

"Forster (Joh. Reinhold) 

"Halle in the Dutchy of Magdeburg 
"April ye 27th 1782. 

"His Excellency Benj. Franklin Esq." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 145 

"Dear Friend 

"I send you Dr. Forster's Observations made during a 
voyage around the world & I have marked the page wherein he 
explains the formation of those places I spoke to you of and that 
are hardly higher than high water mark. . . . [The writer 
here discusses the theory of electricity on wood.] 

"But your superior Genius my dear friend well may be able 
to conquer these objections & dispell the cloud which duly seems 
to spread upon your explanation. 

"Thursday morning." 

The above letter, although unsigned, is in Johann Reinhold 
Forster's handwriting. 

Jean Guillaume Backhaus addressed Franklin in a letter 
from Hanover, 7th of February, 1783, written in French. In 
this he speaks of establishing a standing army in America and 
makes the proposition that the regular soldiers in Europe, now 
benefited by the peace established there, might make arrangements 
to help establish this army in the United States. Franklin, on the 
top of this letter has made a note in red ink, which reads as 
follows : 

"That It is probable that the United States will not keep up 
a Standing Army, having everywhere a well disciplined Militia. 
That many of the Germans have already deserted the English 
colonies, and settled in the Country, and it is probable most of 
them will do the same rather than return to Europe. That I am 
not authorized to set on foot any such Negotiations, am however 
obliged to him for his good Will to our Service, & request he 
would accept my Thanks" . . . 

"Monsieur 

"Le Ministre de Saxe m'a remis une lettre pour Vous. 
J'aurai a conferer avec Vous, Monsieur, sur le differents objects 
de Commerce entre les fitats unis de I'Amerique et la Saxe. 



146 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Indiques moi, je \^ous prie, IMonsieiir, le jour et I'heure aiiquel je 
pourai avoir I'honneur de Vous voir. 
"Je suis avec tout Respet 
"Monsieur 

"Votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur 
"Ehrenhold Frederic Biederman 
"Conseiller de Cour de Dresde. 
"a Paris 

"cellme Mars 

"1783. 
"Rue Plattrieze 
"Hotel." 

"May it please Your Excellence — 
"Sir, 

"You remember perhaps that in the year 1773 in the time 
You lodged in the Strand not many miles from Mr. \\^eddebume 
a poor German Scholar recommended to you by the late Mr. 
Achenwall at Gottingen, willing to go to Philadelphia with an 
intention of Selling books payed to You his respects and that 
afterwards in the time of his miservs was relieved ver\^ gener- 
ously by your humanity. 

"It is therefore with the full acknowledgment of Your good 
will You have shewn me at a time I wanted it most, that a Son 
of freedom congratulates You most sincerely to the late con- 
clusion of a peace honorable both to You and Your Countrie, 
adding that not yet being married, notwithstanding i since one 
Year and a half have got a small livelihood at this place I still am 
of the same opinion, provided I can go there with Your recom- 
mendation, or can be certain of finding a lasting emploimenV 
connected with the proper Salary in the University of Phila- 
delphia in the quality of Professor or Lector of the German and 
Dutch languages. Likewise might I in the quality of M. of A. 
give instructions and read lessons in the historical and political 
Sciences as I have done here already, and in this case I humbly 
expect to be favored with a Speedy answer, for the month of 
]\Iay advances, and I cannot go very well before the following 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 147 

1784th year. But even if You should not be pleased to give me 
Such an emploiment, I recommending myself, to your Benev- 
olence, wish You well, and shall be always with the greatest 
respect 

"Your Excellencies 
"most humble Servant 
"Joachim Heinrich Ludewig 
"Lector. Publicus of this University, 
"at Butzow in the 
"Duchy of Meklenburg 
"Schwerin the 23 of 
"March 1783." 

The following is but one example of the numerous appeals 
made to Dr. Franklin from commission merchants, manufac- 
turers and the like: 

"I hope your Excellency will allow us to represent to you, 
that during the war-time, we, in an indirect manner loaded sev- 
eral Ships, and which probably reached there several ports now 
the Peace is wholly concluded, we do not doubt but there will be 
Military Magazines or Arsenals settled in the different Provinces 
of America, which may require at the same time a provision of 
proper new arms, and as the iron of our country is of an excel- 
lent quality, and very fit for casting of arms, as likewise our 
Manufactury of this kind is one of the best, and most renowned 
in the World ; this enables us to make your Excellency the follow- 
ing proposals: 

"In case that the United States of America should deter- 
mine sooner or later to provide themselvez with proper new 
arms either for their Arsenals or their Troops; we do humbly 
offer our service to fit you with such from, it were requested that 
Excellency wou'd be pleased to send us the name, the Character 
and habitation of the party we shou'd have to deal with concern- 
ing the exportation of what may be ordered besides we will point 
out middling port to facilitate this Intercourse in order to this we 
would propose to your Excellency John Frederich Droop of 
Hamborough there might be also sent from America thither a 



148 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

Model of arms moulded In the manner the United States shou'd 
desire to have 'em. . . . However we warrant the goodness 
and solidity of the arms we may hereafter provide you with we 
beg your Excellency will honour with your Protection our 
Manufactury of Arms, we likewise recommend ourselves to your 
favour, and will incessantly offer up to heaven our prayers and 
good wishes for the continuance of your previous health, and 
remain with the most profound submission and most inviolate 
respect 

"Your Excellency's 

"Most Humble and 

"Most Obedient Servants 

"William Spangenberg and 
"John Spangenberg. 
"14th March 1783." 

A letter from the undersigned, oft'ering to pay for certain 
books sent to Spener, reads thus: 

"Monsieur 

"A la priere, que mon ami a Berlin auquel je suis attache 
prend la liberte de vous adresser, je n'ajoute que, s'l y a des 
frais, consertire le Sr. Durand Neveu Libraire rue Gallands a 
Paris pour y satis f aire & au meme temps pour recevior & 
m'expedier tout a qu'il plaisait a Votre Excellence d'envoyer a 
M. Spener. 

"Monsieur 

"De Votre Excellence 

"Le tres humble & 
"tres obeissant Serviteur 
"Treuttel 

"Librarie 
"Ci devant Bauer & Treuttel 
"Strassburg le I Juin 
"1783." 

Spener was the author of the "Historisch-genealogischer 
Calendar". Berlin, 1784. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 149 

In 1782 we have another Steuben letter. 
"Hochwohlgebohrner Herr, 

"Hochstzuehrender Herr Minister. 
"Eur. Excellenz Gratulieren gantz gehorsamst zu den herr- 
lichen Aussichten vor den Amerikanischen vereinigten Provin- 
zien so durch deine riihmliche und weise Bemiihungen solchen 
Anschein genommen, welches alle Welt billig in Verwunderung 
gesetzt. Aber nehme mir die Freiheit abermal ein Schreiben an 
meinen Sohn den General zu iJbersenden. Mit gantz gehorsam- 
ster Bitte es dass mit ersterer Gelegenheit zu bekommen. Indem 
nicht weiss was von meinem Sohn denken soil, da nur nach alle 
meine Briefe in Zeit vor einem Jahr keine Antwort erhalten und 
dass vor meinem Ende miisste von Ihnen nun sein Wohlsein ver- 
sichert zu sein. Eur. Excellenz vergeben einem bald immer acht- 
zigjahrigen Alten dass er mit einem Schreiben so oft incommo- 
diren. Da ich aber keinen anderen Weg weiss so sage das Wort 
wenn nur zu der Welt bekannten Menschen und Liebe dass Sie 
meine Bitte giitig audi nehmen werden, und mir durch ein paar 
Zeilen bekannt machen, ob meine Briefe richtig angekommen. 
Denn ich mit aller erhimmlichsten Hochachtung bis an mein 
Ende beharren. 

"Eur. Excellenz, 

"Gantz gehorsamster Diener, 
"W. A. von Steuben, 
"Insigneur Major und Ritter des Ordens Pour 
le Merite. 
"Ciistrin, 8. Juni, 1782." 

We will give but one example of the innumerable applica- 
tions made from Germans of all ranks and stations, for posi- 
tions in the American Colonies, either in military or scholastic 
pursuits or in professions of medicine, chemistry or the like or 
in the more humble positions of trade. When we examine the 
hundreds of letters in the correspondence, that has been pre- 
served for more than two generations, we are astounded that so 
many letters from all sections reached Franklin's hands. As a 
benefactor of humanity, as a man of tact, as a man of political 



150 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

influence at home and abroad, he was besieged by a veritable 
avalanche, which would in its very size have terrified a more 
capable and calm correspondent at facing the task of answering 
in person or through his grandson each one of these epistles. 
We can presume that he was not lax in fulfilling his duties, for 
numerous letters acknowledge his personal reply to all sorts of 
trivial and important matters. Let us examine one of these ap- 
plications. 

"I presume to trouble you with an application for a Letter 
of Recommendation in favour of Mr. Biedermann Dr. of law 
in the University of Leipzig who in the course of last year set 
out for America in the capacity of Agent, & Manager of the 
Concerns & Interest of many of our principal Manufacturers & 
Merchants. . . . It is with singular pleasure I embrace this 
opportunity to assure you of the high Esteem and great respect 
with which I have the honor to subscribe myself. 
"Sir 

"Your Most Obedient & most humble Servant 
"Ct. de Bruhl 
"Dover St. 

"March 29th 
"1784." 

Another letter of interest is this. 

"Kiel in Holstein in the 

"neighborhood of Hamburgh, 

"May 3, 1786. 
"Sir 

"I should be very vain if I did hope that my satisfying my 

desire to give You any mark of the high veneration with which 

i have oftentimes dwelled with my heart on Your high abilities 

and on the force of Your genius, i could add something to the 

happiness of Your most illustrious life and if for that reason i 

did take the liberty of sending to You some of my writings by 

a brother who goes in this moment in affairs of the Westindia 

Company at St. Thomas. No, sir, i shall take none of such 

vanity. Tho' i am sure that Your heart is not indifferent to the 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 151 

veneration a good man has for You, wherever and whatever he 
may be, the esteem of a single man who is unknown to you 
can't be of much importance for a man who is admired and 
adored by whole nations. But what encourages me to write to 
You, is the hope that the books i take the liberty to join to this 
letter, could be of any service to serve men who have much 
influence into the modifications which are given to the evil and 
religious cultivations of the United States of America. I should 
not permit me to indulge to this delighting hope if Germany hat 
not judged very favorably of my writings and of their usefull- 
ness. In the book published just now i have endeavored to estab- 
lish universal principles with respect to all kinds of usefull 
notions particularly on account of religious matters. There 
cann't be put an end of all those Calamities and evils which 
result from the different opinions, which exist among man in 
point of religious precepts, if the government in every state takes 
not care, that principles, founded on the common sense of man- 
kind, be generally adopted and professed, by which every one 
is naturally exorted to be just and equitable and to abhor every 
religious perfedation. I am sure that all polite nations if they 
return to barbarousness and blindness, must come to such prin- 
ciples as a basis of human felicity. But the established religious 
constitutions, which are adopted not only in all countries where 
the Roman Catholic religion is domineering but also in every 
Protestant State of Europe, shall create for a long while many 
hindrances to wise amandments of religious doctrines. There 
is at present no people in the world, which can sooner be brought 
to a high degree of perfection in usefull services and religious [ 
doctrines than the inhabitants of the United States of America. ^ 
Your Americans adhere not to so many articles of faith as the 
Roman Catholic et protestant inhabitants of Europe do. Prin- 
ciples of toleration are domineering in all the United States. The 
utmost exertions of wise men and especially of one of the most 
learned and most wise men the world ever saw, the utmost exer- 
tions of a Franklin are employed to give to those States excellent 
Constitutions and laws. Universities and schools are rising and 
institutions of the Students of Divinity can be regulated on a 



152 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

liberal and enlarged plan comprehending all those who are good 
artisans, whatever they may think upon meerely theoretical 
articles of faith. Tho' i have not had, Sir, the idea of sending 
You my Winke fiir gute Fursten [Winks for good Princes] and 
tho' the idea is just now excited by the opportunity my brother 
gives me of sending you this book with some other writings — 
those considerations have nevertheless had the effect that i have 
perhaps writen but few pages, when i have not had in view the 
United American States and where i have not thought on the 
use, the Americans would make with surveys of my Winks. 
These ideas are the more nurished by the reflection that a very 
great number of the habitants of the united states are Germans. 
. . . I have but little reason to hope that You understand 
the German language^ — so much that you can read with any 
facility german books. . . ." 

[The author, Ehlers, speaks here of sending the French 
translation of the treatise he has written on human liberty and 
apologizes deeply for his imperfect knowledge of English, writ- 
ing: "But fearing that you could not read a german letter i 
would rather write you a bad englisch one."] 

"Thinking on You, Sir, which i do more often than You 
can conceive it, i wish most ardently that before You exit out 
of the Stage of this world all that belongs to government and 
to the laws of the united States of America, may be entirely 
settled; and with respect to the accomplishment of this my vow 
i wish with an ardor i am not able to express sufficiently, that 
it may please the divine providence to conserve a life which is 
superior for millions and the forces of You now for many 
years and that You may yet augment in a high Degree the 
benefits and obligations which the vast republican empire of the 
American states owe to Your wisdom, to the force of your 
genius, to Your learning and to all the great talents which provi- 
dence has been leased to unite in Your Person. 

"With these Overflowings of my wishes of my feelings i am 
"Sir 

"Your most obedient servant 
"M. Ehlers." 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 153 

In this letter he gives us a list of eight works, which he 
desires to send to America, for the use of those who may take 
interest in the subjects, which have been the fruits of his pen. 

"Landeshutten in Silesia, the 25 Octob. 1786. 
"Sir. 

" . . . i take the Liberty to beg your Excellency to 
use Your Interest and Authority & show that there are men in 
North America who Possess Honour and Justice & will not 
suffer that Rascals plunder Strangers of their property. I have 
been an American Patriot since by my means above 500 sols 
Have been brought over from Germany, and a very consider- 
able sum of ready money for my friends accounts have been 
spent in America, and I should still be and enjoie the Happiness 
of an American patriot and I not had the misfortune that some 
of my coloniernds had been the most perjured & most wicked 
villains, who by their interest at court and Perjury robbed me 
of my property. . . . Vexed at such an injustice I quited 
England and Retired to my Native Country where god be thank 
I enjoie that Happiness and ease as much as any reasonable man 
can wish for. I have the Honeur to be known Personally to 
my King and several of His Ministers and am favored by their 
friendship and Protection. 

"Two months ago we lost our King one of the greatest men 
which-ever Existed, no monarch ever supported more his sub- 
jects so than what he had done. He repaired Decayed Towns 
& those who were dstroyed in wartimes by his enemies or burned 
accidentally he rebuild at his Expence & he drained Swamps, 
drew Channals, and after the land was cultivable he devided 
it amongst new Settlers and made them a present of it; when 
his Subjects suffered in Winter times by the overflowing of 
Rivers he paid them the Damage Sufferd, and when they 
wa[n]ted seeds to sow their fields, his magazins were opened 
for them. Some years there happened to be a famine in the 
Northern part of Europe, many thousand of People died in 
Saxony & Bohemia, but in Brandenburg and Silesia was Plenty 
or at Least no want, since the king opened his magazins and 



154 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

assisted Saxony & Bohemia in such a manner that a great many 
thousand were saved by his Bounty, his yearly expences for 
the Charitable Support of his subjects amounted to about Ten 
Million and a half Rextollars & the Treasure which he has left 
above 120,000. . . . His successor Present King Frederic 
William the 2d. endeavors to imitate his Predecessors, he said 
he would endeavor rather to merit, the Name of a Good King, 
than of a Great king. . . . 

"Your Excellency's 

"Most obedient Humble Servant 

"Peter Hasencleber," 

In the above letter there are very careful details given 
of court events, showing that the writer must have felt that 
Franklin would take interest in such German affairs. 

Johann Jacob Meyen, who published Franklin der Philosoph 
imd Staatsmann, In fiinf Gesange, 1787, dedicated to Franklin, 
wrote the following letter from Altstettin on der Oder in Pom- 
mern the 28th of June, 1788 : 

"My Lord 
"Diesen Tribut bringe ich, ein gebohrner Pommer dem 
grossen Manne, der das Licht der Wissenschaften in Amerika 
auf stellete, und sein Vaterland zu der grossen Entschliessung be- 
geisterte, die Freiheit zu fiihlen, zu schaetzen, und wenn die Re- 
gierung nicht aufhoren will, Tyrrannei zu sein durch Waffen zu 
erringen, Sie Sind, My Lord, der grosse Mann, der americani- 
sche Orpheus, der diesen Umfang der Verdienste hat, welcher 
Europa in erstaunen setzt. Lange schon hatte unsere unfrucht- 
bare See-Kiiste der Ost-See, Sie, grosser Mann, in Ihren Schrif- 
ten genannt; denn wir suchen Licht und das Atlantische Meer, 
ist nicht breit genug, unsere Wisbegierde zuriick zu weihen. 
Lange schon sahen wir die Natur durch Sie enthiillt, durch Sie 
den Schleier von der Electricitaet zuriick gezogen, und den Ge- 
witter Leiter, Franklinens Coloss auch bei uns aufgestellt. Nun 
sehen wir Sie auch den blutigen Krieg durchdringen, von der 
neuen Welt zur alten iiber das Meer fahren, um Freiheit und 
Friede zu befestigen; wir sehen Sie, den ehrwiirdigen Greis und 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 155 

Patriarchen der Philosophen und Staatsmaenner in den ver- 
dienten Lorbeeren um Ihren silberfarbigen Scheitel prangen. 
Man brachte sonst die Lobreden nur der Asche des Mannes von 
Verdiensten; dem Trajan brachte man sie, als er noch lebte; ich 
thtie das was Plinius that, denn Sie, my Lord, verdienen es so 
sehr wie Trajan. Welch ein eingeschraenktes Lobbed ist es, 
welches ich dem grossen Umfange Ihrer Verdienste widme, so 
eingeschraenkt als der entfernte Hall des Rufs an unsre See- 
Kiiste die diinklen Tone von den grossen Thaten horen Hess; 
aber doch nicht eingeschraenkt fiir mein Gefi'ihl des grossen und 
edlen welches ich in Ihnen sehe und fiihle. Mein Lied sagt zu 
wenig, kiinftige Lobredner konnen, wollen und werden mehr 
sagen: alles sollen sie sagen, wir wollen den gantzen Philosophen 
sehen und haben. Ich bin bis zum Entziicken vergnugt, wenn 
Sie, Grosser Mann, obwohl mein Gedicht zu wenig vom Umfang 
und Zeichnung des Werthes Ihrer Thaten doch mein Hertz nicht 
zu wenig gefiihlvoll und ehrfurchtsvoll fiir das wahre, edle und 
erhabne finden. Ich bin gantz fiir Sie, Gott gebe zu Ihren ruhm- 
voUen Alter noch eine milde Zulage vieler vergniigter und segen- 
voUer Jahre. Ich bin 

"My Lord, 

"Ganz der Ihrige, 

"Johann Jacob Meyen. 

"Der Philosophic Doktor und des academischen Gymnasi- 
ums offentlicher professor der Mathematic und Physic, wie auch 
Koniglicher professor der Hydrographie und Schiffskunst." 

"Sir! 

"In the latter end last year, I recevid by the hands of 
Mons. de Butre, a book entitled. Constitutions des Treize Estats 
LTnis de I'Amerique, together with a beautiful Medal struck upon 
the independency or sepperation of the American Colonies from 
their Mother Country ; the device on the reverse of this medal is 
as strong & flattering to the arms of France as it is humiliating 
& disgraceful to those of England ; how far the allusion may bear 
a resemblance to truth, the annals of time are left to unfold, 
confirm & record. 



156 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

"If These articles were meant as presents from your Excel- 
lency to me, I then beg you will be persuaded to believe that I 
have employed the very first favorable opportunity of returning 
you Sir my most grateful thanks & of assuring you that they 
could not have been bestowed upon a person whose Zealous good 
wishes for the common cause of extending happiness (»& con- 
seciuently the civil rights &^ liberty of Mankind) are more 
ardently poured forth and those of your Excellency's most re- 
spectful & much obliged old friend & very Humble 
"Servant 

"P. P. Burdett. 

"Ingenier en chef & capitaine des Cards 
"de S. A. Sme. Le Prince de Baden 
"Carlsruhe 17 January, 1786." 

(c) Three Letters of Franklin to Germans. 

Franklin must have sent hundreds of letters of recommenda- 
tion at the appeal of men of high and low social position in the 
social scale. This is an example of his own reply from which 
fifteen copies were made by his orders: 

"Passy April 22, 1783. 
"Sir 

"M. ^Martin. Professor of Natural History in the Service of 
the Emperor, being appointed to make a collection of Plants and 
Animals from the four Quarters of the World, for his Imperial 
Majesty's Botanical Gardens and ]\Ienagerie. proposes to begin 
his Operations by a Journey thro' the Countries under the Gov- 
ernment of the United States of America. He is strongly 
recommended to me by his Excellency the Ambassador from the 
Court; and I take leave to recommend him not only to the 
bounties you are pleased in bestowing on Strangers of Merit, 
but to all the Assistances and Facilities your Station and the 
Influence attending it, may enable you to afford him in the 
Excellence of his Commission, being persuaded about your Zeal 
for the Increase of Useful Science, as well as the Respect due to 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 157 

his August Employer, will induce you to render M. Martin with 
Services with Pleasure I have the honor to be very respectfully 

"Sir Your (Excellency's)" 

The Prince des Deuxpontes addressed Franklin on the 14th 
of June, 1783, in regard to establishing trade between Palitinate, 
Bavaria and the United States of America. This letter is pub- 
lished in Jared Sparks' Franklin, Volume IX, page 526. Frank- 
lin's answer, however, which can be found on the blank pages of 
this letter, has as yet not found its way to the printed page. It 
reads as follows: 

Franklin's Response. 

"Without information what are the Productions and Manu- 
factures of the Palatinate & of Bavaria and their Prices of which 
Mr. Franklin is totally ignorant, it is impossible for him to say 
what of them will be proper for a Commerce with the United 
States of America. He can only answer in general, that Amer- 
ica purchases from Europe all kinds of Woolens & Linnens 
coarse & fine proper for Clothing for Men & Women ; a Variety 
of Iron & Steele Manufacturers ; and she pays in Tobacco, Rice, 
Indigo, Bills of Exchange or Money. If the Electorates above 
mentioned can furnish any of these Manufactures cheaper than 
or as cheap as France, Holland or England they may thereby 
obtaine a Share of the American Commerce. But it will be 
prudent for the Merchants to send first a discreat intelligent man 
with a small cargo of Samples of all their kinds of Goods in 
order to obtain a thorough knowledge of the nature of the Com- 
merce in that Country, and of all Kinds of Goods & Proportions 
of their Quantities, that are most in demand there, before they 
hazard the making of large Adventures. There is no doubt but 
that the Commerce of the German States will be favorably re- 
ceived in America, where a great many People of that Nation 
are established. Mr. F. will give it all the Encouragement that 
can be expected of him ; but he cannot take upon him to point out 
and name as he has been desired the most Solid Houses of 
Commerce there, having long been absent from that Country and 
the War having probably made a Change in tlie Circumstances 
of many7" 



158 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

To illustrate the attitude of Franklin toward Prussian 
trade, here is a draft of a letter written by him from Passy, 
September 9, 1777: 

"Meyers, Melone & Co. 

"I received your Favor of the 19th . . , our Clothing 
of the manufacture of Prussia. We have already contracted for 
as much as our Funds here will enable us to pay for in time, a 
considerable of the Remittance made to us from America having 
been intercepted ; but a much greater Quantity is wanted, & will 
undoubtedly come to a good IMarket there, we advise you to send 
a Cargo thither on your own Account, which we hope and believe 
you will find greatly to your Advantage; and if the Goods are 
approved, it may open a Trade & Demand there for Prussian 
Commodities that will be very beneficial to that Kingdom. I 
have the Honor to be 



(Printed 1882.) 

The author adds here two original letters of Franklin. One 
to Johann David Halm, the other to George Washington, recom- 
mending Baron de Steuben: 

"Aug. 20, 1774. 
"Mr. Halm, 

"I am much obliged by your valuable Present of several 
Tracts which I received through the Hands of our common 
Friend Sir John Pringle; particularly for that on Fused Air, a 
Subject which, of late engages much Attention from Philosophers 
here and in which no one has more distinguished himself than 
Dr. Priestlev. who puts this letter into your Hands. His Char- 
acter in the Republick of Letters you must be well acquainted 
with, and I am sure that you will be pleased with the Opportunity 
of conversing with him. I beg your Acceptance of the enclosed 
Pamphlets, and am with the greatest Esteem, Sir, 

"Your most obed. 

"& most hum. Serv^t. 
"B. F— 
"From Franklin to 

"(Johann David Halm)" 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 159 

Recommendation from Franklin for the Baron von Steuben. 

(Draft copy.) 

"Passy near Paris Sept. 4, 1777. 
"Sir 

"The Gentleman who will have the Honour of waiting upon 
you with this Letter is Baron de Steuben, lately a Lieutenant 
General in the King of Prussia's Service whom he attended in 
all his campaigns, being his Aide Campe, Quartermaster Gen- 
eral etc. He goes to America with the true Zeal for our cause 
in View of engaging in it & rendering it all Service in his Power. 
He is recommended to us by the two best Judges of military 
Merit in this country, M. de Vergennes & M. de St. Germain who 
have long been personally acquainted with him, and interest 
themselves in promoting his voyage. I have therefore great 
Hopes that the Knowledge from a full Prussian Experience he 
has acquired by 20 years Study & Practice in the Prussian School 
may be of great Use in our Armies. I therefore cannot but wish 
that our service may be made agreeable to him. I have the 
Honour to be 

"His Excell. 

"Geo. Washington." 

(Printed 1882.) 



CHAPTER X. 
Bibliography. 

Franklin's Works in German Editions by Germans. 
( Chronological. ) 

We are including under this title merely the works, that are 
limited to the German field and not the German American pub- 
lications. 

I. Des Herrn Benjamin Franklin, Esq., Brief e von der Elec- 
tricitdt aiis dem Englisclien iihersetst nebst Anmcrkungen, von 
J. C. Wilcke. Leipzig, 1758. Verlag Gottfried Kiesewetter 
Buchhandlung in Stockholm. 

II. Sdmmtl. Werke aus d. Engl, iibers. von G. T. Wenzel, 
3 Bde., mit Kupfer. {^Des Herrn D. Ben. Franklin sdmmtliche 
VVerkc. Alts dem Englisclien iind Franzosischen iibersetst. Nebst 
dem franzosischen Ubersetzen des Herrn Barbey Dubourg. Zu- 
satze und mit einigen Anmerkungen versehen von G. T. Wenzel. 
Erster Band mit Kupfer.) Dresden, 1780. In der Walthen- 
sche Hof buchhandlung ; 3 Bde. ; portrait 5 plates. 

III. Bcricht fiir diejenigen, so sich nach N ordamerika le- 
ben ivollen. Aus d. Engl. Hamburg (Herold, 1786). 

IV. Freier Wille, ein IVerk fiir denkende Menschen iiber d. 
Mach d. Zufalls. Leipzig, 1787 (M5sle in Wien). 

V. Schreiben an Ingenhous iiber d. Rauchen d. Kamins u. 
Schonisteijis. Aus d. Engl, (von Pt. H. G. Brodhagen. Mit I 
Kpf. Hamburg, 1788). 

VI. Schreiben an Ingehausen iiber d. Rauchen d. Gamine. 
Aus d. Engl. Hamburg, 1788 (Bohn). 

VII. Eriveiteres Lehrgebdudc d. Electricitdt. Wien, 1790. 

VIII. Jugendjahre, von ihm selbst bcscricben. Aus d. Engl, 
iibersetzt von G. A. Burger. Berlin, 1792 (Rottmann). 

IX. Kleine Schriften, meist in der Manier des Zuschauers, 
nebst seinem Leben. Aus dem Englischen von G. Schatz. Erster 
Theil. Weimar, 1794. Verlag des Industrie Comptoirs. -2 
Ede. 

(160) 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany i6i 

X. Der Benjamin Franklin's Leben. Tubingen, 1795. 
(Anom. ) 

XL Lebensbesehreibung B. Franklins. Joh. C. Selter. Ber- 
lin, 1897 (Oettingers Bibliogr.). 

XII. Biographien fi'ir die Jugend. Vol. I. C. J. Wagenseil. 

XIII. Lebensbesehreibung B. Franklins. Berlin, 1797. 

XIV. Lebensbesehreibung Benjamin Franklins. Johann 
Christian. Berlin, 1897-1898. 

XV. Kleine Schriften. xA.us d. Engl. Zweiter Theil mit 
Franklin's Portrat. Weimar, 1802. Industr. Comptr. G. Schatz, 
zweite Auflage. 

XVI. Beschreib. eines rauchversehrend. Sparofens. Ver- 
bessert von Boreux. Leipzig, 1802 (Hinrichs). 

XVII. Beschreib. eines rauchverzehrend. Sparofens. Ver- 
bessert von Boreux. Leipzig, 1803 (Hinrichs). 

XVIII. Franklinsche Ofen d. vervollkommet v. Darnot u. 
Schmidt. Aus dem Franzosischen. Von Eschenbach, mit Kpf. 
Leipzig, 1806. 

XIX. Slimmtl. JVerke. London, 1793; 2 Bande; 3. Band, 
Enkel W. T. Franklin (1818-1819). 

XX. Sicker er Weg su einer moral. Gesundheit zu gelangen 
und sich darin lebenslang su erhalten. Wien,'i8i2 (Wimmer). 

XXI. Spriichworter des alten Heinrichs und Engels der Le- 
bensweisheit des alten Witt. Berlin, 181 2 (Mittler). 

XXII. Franklin's IVerke. Niirnberg, 1816 (Campe). 

XXIII. Dr. Franklin's nachgelassene Schriften und Corre- 
sponden.a, nebst seinem Leben. Aus dem Englischen iibersetzt. 
Von G. H. A. Wagner. Weimar, 181 7. Im Verlag des Landes- 
industrie Comptoirs. (Bd. I-II, Correspondenz ; Bd. III-IV, 
Leben ; Bd. V, Werke. ) 

XXIV. Freier Wille, ein JVerk fiir denkende Menschen. 
Leipzig, 181 7. Zweite Auflage Wien (Mossle). (Erste Auf- 
lage, t8ii.) 

XXV. Leben und Schriften. Aus dem Englischen iiber- 
setzt. Weimar, 1818. 2 Bde. (Bd. 3-4 of Franklin's Nachge- 
lassene Schriften. ) 



1 62 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

XXVI. Tugendi'thungen, guter Rath an Handzverker, Mittcl 
reich zu werden. Wien, 1819 (Mayer). 

XXVII. Franklins Leben. Ebd. 2 Bde. 18 19. 

XXVIII. Spri'iehworter des alien Heinrich n. Engels Lc- 
bensiveisheit des alien Witt, oder d. Kunst reich u. gliicklich zu 
werden; ein Taschenhuch filr Jedermann. Berlin, 181 9 (Mittler). 

XXIX. Spriiclnvorter des alien Heinrich u. Engels Leben's- 
weisheit des alien Witt, oder d. Kunst reich u. gliicklich zu wer- 
den; ein Taschenbuch fiir Jedermann. Rotvveil, 1822 (Herder). 

XXX. Goldnes Schatzkdstlein, oder Anweis zi'ie man thcitig, 
verstiindig, beliebt, etc., werden kann. Herausg. von Dr. Bergk. 
Leipzig, 1827-1833. 

XXXI. Leben und Schriften, nach der von seinem Enkel 
IV. T. Franklin voranstalt. neuen Londoner Ausg., mit Benutz- 
ung des bei derselbcn bckannt gemachten Nachlasses u. friiherer 
Ouellen zeitgemiiss bearbeitet.' Von A. Burger; 4 Theile. Kiel, 
1829. (Vergl. Biographien f. d. Jugend. ) 

XXXII. Deutsche Bearbcitimg. Kiel, 1829; 4 Bde. A. von 
Binzer (4 Vol. in 2) Universitiits-Buchhandlung. {Leben und 
Schriften nach der von seinem Enkel W. T. Franklin, voranstal- 
ten neuen Londoner Original Ausgabe.) 

XXXIII. Franklin's Tagebuch, ein sicheres Mittel durch 
moral. Vollkommenhcit, thdtig, verstdndig, beliebt, tugendhaft 
u. gliicklich zu werden. Entworfen im Jahre 1730 11. nach 100 
Jahren als ein Denkmal fiir die Nachvvelt an d. Licht gestellt. 
Eschwege, 1830 (Hoffmann). 

XXXIV. Franklins Tagebuch, ein sicheres Mittel durch 
moral. Vollkommenheit thdtig, verstiindig, beliebt, tugendhaft 
u. gliicklich zu zverden. Entworfen im Jahre 1730 u. nach 100 
Jahren als ein Denkmal fiir die Nachwelt an d. Licht gestellt. 
Eschwege, 1830 (Wohlfeilen Ausgabe Cassel). Kriegersbuch- 
handlung. 

XXXV. Alte Goldbriefe. Neu herausgegeben zum Nutzen 
und Frommen der Tugend. Coburg, 1833 (Riemann). 

XXXVI. Goldnes Schatzkdstlein, oder Anweisung wie man 
thdtig, tugendhaft, religios und gliicklich werden kann. Her- 
ausgegeben von Dr. Bergk. Auflage 8, Leipzig, 1834. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 163 

XXXVII. Goldnes Schatzkdstlein, oder Anweisung wie 
man t ltd tig, tiigendhaft, religios und glilcklich werden kann. 
Herausgegeben von Dr. Bergk. Zweite Aiiflage, Leipzig, 1834- 
1838. Dritte Auflage, Leipzig, 1839. Dritten durchge. Auflage 
Ouedlinburg. Ernst, 1843, 1844- 1850. 

XXXVIII. Franklin's Werke. (Campe Edition.) Nurn- 
berg and New York, 1835. 

XXXIX. Ein Lesebuch fiir Volks- und Gewerbeschulen, 
enthalt Der arme Richard, oder der Weg zum Wohlstand, von 
Benjamin Franklin; sodann Ausziige aus Theophron, von J. H. 
Campe. Carlsruhe, 1836 (Wagner). 

XL. The Life of Benjamin Franklin, zuritten by Himself; 
to which are added Essays by the same Author. Mit einem Wor- 
terhuch. Zum Schul- und Privatgebrauch. (Mit feinen Bildnis- 
sen in Stahlstich.) Carlsruhe, 1838 (Creuzbauer). 

XLI. Leben und ausgewdhlte Schriften. (In einem Bande.) 
Leipzig, 1838 (G. Wigand). 

(Probably the third volume of Geschichts-Bibliothek fiir 
Folk.) 

XLII. Leben von Ihm selbst {Geschichts-Bibliothek fiir 
Volk, third volume). Ebd. 1839. 

XLIII. Leben Benjamin Franklins, ein Lebenbild fiir Jung 
und Alt. Von Ferdinand Schmidt. Berlin und Leipzig, 1840 
(Hugo Kaftner). 

XLIV. Leben Benjamin Franklins. Berlin und Leipzig, 
1840 (Carl Schmalz). 

XLV. Der Weg zum Reichthum. Erfurt, 1841 (Hennings 
und Hopf). 

XLVI. Goldnes Schatzkdstlein, u. s. w. Von Dr. Bergk. 
Auflage 12. Quedlinburg, 1843, 1844, 1850 (Ernst). 

XLVII. Franklin's Sdmmtliche Werke, nebst dessen Le- 
bensbeschreibung. Hamburg, 1845 (Schuberth & Co.). 

XLVIII. Lebensbeschreibung Benjamin Franklins. Von 
Julius Kell. Leipzig, 1845. 

XLIX, Leben, beschrieben fiir das Volk. Eigenthum des 
wiirttembergischen Volksschriften-Vereins. Ulm, 1845 (Heer- 
brandt und Th.). 



164 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

L. Lehcn des Benjamin Franklins, von ihm selbst geschrie- 
hcn. Leipzig, 1848 (Geschichts-Bibliothek fiir das Volk, 
Band 2). 

LI. Lebensbeschreibung Benjamin Franklins, des thatkraf- 
tigen Mannes imd freisinnigen Volksfreimdes. Eine Volks- 
schrift. Leipzig, 1848 (Klinkhardt). 

LIL Der arme Richard, die Kunst reich mi werden. Erlan- 
gen, 1852 (Georg Gelfreich). 

LIIL Leben und Schriften Benjamin Franklins. Theodor 
Ruprecht. Leipzig, 1853 (Otto Wigand). 

LIV. Bildungs-Halle im Sinne und Geiste unserer Zeit. 
Fiir alle Stande. 5. Band. Benjamin Franklin's Leben und 
Schriften. Leipzig, 1853. Verlag von Otto Wagner. 

LV. Benjamin Franklin, sein Leben, Denken und Werke. 
Leipzig, 1853. Von Heinrich Bettzeich-Beta. {Unfcrhaltendc 
Bclehrungen aw Forderimg allgemeiner Bildung. Band 18.) 
F. A. Brockhaus. 

LVL Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography. Vols. 2 and 3. 
A. Diirrs. Collection of American Authors. Leipzig, 1854- 

1858 (K. Elze). 

LVIL The Life of Benjamin Franklin. Vol. L Benjamin 
Franklin's Autobiography, with Appendix. Authorized Edition. 
Dessau, 1854 (Katz Br.). 

LVIIL Benjamin Franklin, eine Biographic. Aus dem 
Franzosischen. Leipzig, 1855. F. A. M. Mignet. 

LIX. Gleichniss von der Glaubensbildimg. Dessau, 1855 
(Neuburger). 

LX. Bibliothek der englischen Litteratur fiir Schid- und 
Hausgebrauch. Herausgegeben von H. Robolsky. Leipzig, 

1859 (Gerhard). 

LXL Benjamin Franklin, ein Lebensbild. Freiburg im 
Breisgau, 1862 (J. Venedey). 

LXIL Der Weg sum Reichtum. Neubearbeitet, nebst einer 
Biographic des beriihmten Verfassers. G. A. B. Berlin, 1864 
(Grothe). Zweites Heft. The Life of Benjamin Franklin. 
Continuation to Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, by Jared 
Sparks, 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 165 

LXIII. Benjamin Franklin's Der arme Richard, IVeg sum 
Reichtum. Aus dem Englischen von C. F. Liebetreu. Berlin, 
1866 (A. Jonas). 

LXIV. Life of Benjamin Franklin, Written by Himself, 
to which are added essays, some anecdotes of or by the same 
author. IVorterbuch. Zum chul- imd Privatgebrauch. Zweite 
Auflage durchgeschaut, vermehrt und mit Anmerkungen, von D. 
Jungking. Carlsruhe, 1871 (Wilhehn Kreuzbauer). 

LXV. Benjamin Franklin, sein Leben von ihm selbst be- 
schriebcn. Mit einer Vorbemerkung von Berthold Auerbach, und 
eine historische Einleitung von Friedrich Kapp. Nebst dem 
Bildnisse FrankHns. (Holzschnitt-Tafel.) Stuttgart, 1876 (Au- 
erbach). Universal-Auflage 8. 1877. Ebend. 1882. 

LXVI. Bibliothck gediegener und lehrreicher Werke der 
englischen Litteratur. Zum Gebrauch der studirenden Jugend 
ausgewahlt und ausgestattet, von Ant. Goebel. Miinster, 1881 
f Aschendorff). 

LXVII. John Biglow. Correspondence et Autobiographie. 
Philadelphia, 1868; New York, 1900. Deutsch von Friedrich 
Kapp. 4. Auflage. Berlin, 1882. 

LXVIII. Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography. Mit An- 
merkungen zum Schulgebrauch. Herausg. von K. Mayer. Biele- 
feld, 1 885- 1 890 (Velhagen & Klasing). • 

LXIX. {i) Autobiography. Cressner und Schramm. Leip- 
zig, 1887. (2) Autobiography. Students' Tauchnitz Edition. 
Mit deutschen Anmerkungen, von K. Feyerabend. Leipzig. B. 
Tauchnit^. i. und 2. Th. (i) Jugendjahre. 1706-1730. (2) 
Mannesjahre. 1 731 -1754. {The Way to Wealth.) 

LXX. Benjamin Franklin's Leben, von ihm selbst beschrie- 
ben. Deutsch von Karl Miiller. 1887. (Universal-Bibliothek.) 

LXXL Benjamin Franklin's Jugendjahre. Jonas. Berlin, 
1888. 

LXXn. Benjamin Franklin's Jugendschrift. 4. Auflage. 
Leipzig, 1888 (Geibel & Br.). 

LXXIII. Der Weg zum Reichtum. Berlin, 1891 (R. L. 
Stab). 



1 66 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

LXXIV. Benjamin Franklins Autobiography. English 
Authors. Bielefeld, 1891, 

IvXXV. Benjamin Franklin's Jugendschrift. Wilhelm J. 
Britschweiler. Stuttgart, 1893 (J. F. Steinkopf). 

LXXVI. Leben und Grundsdtze Benjamin Franklins. Aus 
dem Englischen von Theodor Roth. Stuttgart, 1893. 

LXXVII. Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography. Herausg. 
C. Mayer (9. Abdruck), 1894. 

LXXVIII. Der IV eg zuni Reichtum. Ansbach, 1894 (M. 
Eichinger). 

LXXIX. Luftelektricitdt (B. Franklin, T. F. Dalibard, 
L. G. Le Monner iiber Luftelektricitat ). Neudrucke v. Schriften 
u. Karten iiber Metereologei u. Erdmagnetismus. Nr. II. Ber- 
lin, 1898 (A. Asher & Co.). Herausg. von G. Hellmann. (J. 
H. Winkler.) 

LXXX. The Life of Benjamin Franklin, zvith the Contin- 
uation, by Jared Sparks. Herausg. von F. Wiillenweber. Leip- 
zig, 1899 (Otto E. A. Deckman). Renger Band 52. 

LXXXI, Benjamin Franklin. English Authors. Herausg. 
C. Mayer. Bielefeld, 1905 (Velhagen & Klasing). Band 48. 

LXXXII. Benjamin Franklin. F. Schmidt. Berlin, 1905 
( Neufeld & Henius). 

LXXXIII. Benjamin Franklin's Lebensbild. Konstanz, 
1906 (C. Hirsch). 



CHAPTER XI. 

Alphabetical Bibliography. 
A. 

1. Achenwall, Gottfried. Hannoverisches Magazin. 17 
Stiick. 1767. Einc Anmerkung iiber Nordamerika u. iiber 
dasige Grossbritannische Colonien. Aus miindlichen Nachrichten 
des Herrn Dr. Franklins. 2. Aufl., Frankfurt, Stuttgart, 1769; 
3. Aufl., Helmstedt, 1777. 

2. Adams, John Quincy. Letters on Silesia. 1 800-1 801. 

3. Adams, George. Anweisung sur Erhaltung des Gesichts. 
Gotha, 1794. 

4. Almanack fiir Dichter u. schone Geistcr auf das Jahr 
1785. (Gedruckt am Fuss des Parnassus.) 

5. Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek. Band 32 ; Band 25. 

6. Allgemeine Littcraturzeitung . Jena, 1785. 

7. American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia (Franklin 
Manuscripts). 

B. 

8. Bauer, Th. Chr. Aug. Franklin u. Washington, unter- 
haltende Anecdoten aus dem achtzehnten Jahrhundert. Band 8. 
Berlin, 1803- 1806. 

9. Bancroft, George. History of the United States. Bos- 
ton, 1874. 

10. Beaumarchais et son Temps. Paris, 1858. (Louis de 
Lomenie. ) 

11. Bebra, Freyherr von. Journal v. u. fiir Deutschland. 
Jahrgang 1784. 

12. Berlinsche Monatsschrift. (Nicholai, Fried.) Juli, 

1783- 

13. Berlinsche Zeitschrift. Juli, 1783. 

14. Bernhardt. Sammlung klinischer Vortrdge. No. 41. 
1891-1894. 

15. Bettziech-Beta, H. Unterhaltungen, Belehrungen sur 
Fbrderung allgemeiner Bildung. Leipzig, 1851-1853. 

16. Biedermann, Karl. Deutschland im achtsehnten Jahr- 
hundert. 2. Aufl. Leipzig, 1880. 

(167) 



1 (,8 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

ly. Bierbaum, J. Litteraturgeschichte . 1891-1894. 

18. Bigelow, John. Benjamin Franklins Life and Writ- 
ings. Philadelphia, 1868; 1875. 

19. Blankmeister,. Franz. Justus Moser, dcr deutsche 
Patriot. 

20. Bleibtreu, Karl. Magazin fiir die Lit. des In- und Aus- 
landes. Band 109. 1909. 

21. Bluntschle, J. K. Geschichte der neuen Staatszvissen- 
schaft. Leipzig, 1881. 

22. Bodemann. /. G. Zimm,ermann. Hannover, 1878. 

23. Brooks, E. S. Benjamin Franklin. 1898. 

24. Bri^ischweiler, Wilhelm J. Benjamin Franklins Ju- 
gendschrift. No, 12. Stuttgart, 1893. 

25. Biichner. Litterarische Zeitung. Berlin, 1834. 

26. Buhle, J. G. JoJiann David Michaelis, Litterariseher 
Briefwechsel. 3 Bde. Leipzig, 1794- 1796. 

27. Billow, E. von. L. Schroder, dramatischc IVerke. 
Band i. Berlin, 1831. 

28. Burckhardt, Eduard. Conversations- u. Reisebiblio- 
thek, von F. A. Mignet. 7-9. Aus dem Franzos. Leipzig, 1855. 

29. Burke, Edmund. The Annual Register or View of the 
History, Politics and Literature for the Year 1766. London, 
1767. 

30. Biischung, Anton Fred. Magazin fiir neue Historic 
und Geographic. iy6y. 

C. 

31. Canzler u. Meissner. Fiir dltere Zeit und neuere Lek- 
titre. Ouartalschrift. Leipzig, 1783. 

32. Centralblatt fiir Litteraturgeschichte. 1870. 

T,T,. Christian, Johann. Lebensbeschreibung Benjamin 
Franklins. Berlin, 1797- 1798. 

34. Crell, Johann. Lautere Wahrheit, oder ernstliche Be- 
trachtiing des gegenzviirtigen Zustandes der Stadt Philadelphia 
und der Provinz Pennsylvanien. (Armbriister.) 1747. 

35. Cutler, W. W. Selections from the Writings of Ben- 
jamin Franklin. London, 1906. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 169 

D. 

36. Dcr deutsche Merkur. 1766, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 
1782. 

^y. Dcutschcs Museum. Leipzig, 1776. 

38. Deutsche Rundschau. Berlin, 1875, 1876, 1901. 

39. Duller, Edward. Vaterldndische Geschichte. 5 Bande. 
1853-1858. 

40. Diintzer. Christian Kaufmann, der Apostel der Genie- 
scit. Leipzig, 1882. 

41. Diirr, A. Collection of Standard American Authors — 
Benjamin Franklin. Leipzig, 1 854-1 858. 

E. 

42. Ebeling, Fried. W. IV . L. IVekkerlin. Berlin, 1869. 

43. Ebstein, E. Zeitschrift fiir Biicherfreunde. (Gedichte 
Biirgers in altester Fassung. ) 1905-1906. 

44. Eggers, C. W. D. von. Das deutsche Magazin. Dezem- 
ber, 1793. 

45. Eliot, Chas. Wm. Four American Leaders. London, 
1907. 

46. Eisner, Heinrich, Befreiungskampf der nordamerika- 
nischen Staaten, mit der Lehensbeschreibung er vier Beriihm- 
ten. Stuttgart, 1835. 

47. Euler, Leonhard. Briefe i'lber verschiedene Gegen- 
stdnde der Naturlehre. Band 1-3. Leipzig, 1773-1793. 

48. Evans, E. P. Beitrdge zur amerikanischen Lit. u. Kul- 
turgcschichte. Stuttgart, 1898. 

49. Eyring, Jerem. N. Litterar. Almanack der Deufschen 
auf das Jahr 1775. Gottingen, 1776. 

F. 

50. Federn, Karl. Essays zur amerikanischen Litteratur. 
Halle, 1899. 

51. Federn, Karl. Essays zur vergleichenden Litteratur. 
Halle, 1904. 

52. Eels, J. Franklin and Freedom. London and Philadel- 
phia, 1910. 



I/O Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

53. Fisher, Sidney George. The True Bcnj. Franklin. 
Philadelphia, 1899. 

54. Ford, Paul L. Sayings of Poor Richard by Benjamin 
Franklin. New York, 1890. 

55. Ford, Paul L. Franklins Bibliography. Brooklyn, 
1889. 

56. Forster, Georg. Erinnerungen aus dcm Jahrc 1790. 
Kleine Schriften. Band 6. Leipzig, 1843. 

57. Franken, Aug. Gotth. Nachricht von einigen evangeli- 
schen Gemeinen in Amerika, absonderlich in Pennsylvanien. 
Halle, 1734, 1744. (A. D. B. Band 25.) 

58. Fritsch, Caspar. Geschichte der englischen Kolonien in 
N ord- Amerika. Aus dem Engl. Leipzig, 1774. 

59. Frommel, W. M., und Dr. Friedrich Pfaff. Justus M'6- 
ser, Sammlung von Vortrdgen fitr das deutsche Folk. Band 14. 
Heidelberg, 1887. 

G. 

60. Gallinger, Herbert P. Relation of German Publicists 
to the American War of Independence. 1775- 1783. Disserta- 
tion. Leipzig, 1900. 

61. Gatterer, Johann C. Allgemeine historische Bibliothek. 
1767. Band 35. Halle. 

62. Gelfreich, Georg. Benjamin Franklin, der arme Rich- 
ard und die Kunst reich zu werden. Erlangen, 1852. 

63. Gerber, Ernst Ludwig. Neues historisch-biographisches 
Lexikon der Tonkiinste. Leipzig, 181 2- 18 14. 

64. Gersdorf, E. G. Repertorium der deutschen Litteratur. 
Leipzig, 1440. 

65. Gervinus, G. G. Georg Forster s sdmmtliche Schriften. 
Band 1-9. Leipzig, 1843. 

66. Gildemeister, C. H. Johann Georg Flamann. Band 1 
u. 2, Gotha, 1863 ; Band 3 u. 4, Gotha, 1875. 

67. Gothein, Eberhard. Die Aufgaben der Kulturge- 
schichte. Leipzig, 1899. 

68. Gottingsche Anzeigen filr gelehrte Sachen. Band i ; 
Stiick no; 147-148. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 171 

69. Green, S. A. Career of Benjamin Franklin. Philadel- 
phia, 1893. 

70. Griesebach, E. Die deutsche Litteratur. 1 770-1870. 
Wien, 1875. 

71. Grundmann, Johann. Die V biker Amerikas. Berlin, 
1900. 

72. Guntershausen, Welker von. Neueroffnetes Magazin 
musikalischer Tonwerkzenge. Frankfurt a/M., 1855. 

H. 

yZ- Haberlin, Franz D. Allgemeine Welthistorie. Band i 
u. 2. Halle, 1767. 

74. Haertel, Martin H. German Literature in American 
Magazines. 1846- 1880. Dissertation Madison, Wis., 1908. 

75. Hale, Edward E., Sr., and Jr. Franklin in France. 
1887. 

76. Haller, Albrecht von. Tagehiicher seiner Reisen nach 
Deutschland, Holland und England. Leipzig, 1883. 

yy. Halm. Ahhandlungen der schwedischen Academic der 
Wissenschaften. Band 16, Seite 30. 

78. Hamberger, Georg C. Das gelehrte Deutschland, oder 
Lexicon der jetzlehenden deutschen Schriftsteller. 1767. 

79. Hannoverische Zeitung. Juni und August, 1766. 

80. Haym, Rudolph. Johann G. Herder. 

81. Henneberger, A. Zeitschrift fiir deutsche Kulturge- 
schichte. 1858. 

82. Hettner, Hermann. Litteraturgeschichte des achtzehn- 
ten Jahrhunderts. Braunschweig, 1864, 4te Aufl. 1893. 

83. Hildebrand, Richard. Jahrhuch fiir Nationalokonomie 
und Statistik (Benjamin Franklin als Nationalokonom), Jena, 
1863. 

84. Histor.-Geneologischer Calender oder Jahrhuch der 
merkwiirdigsten Welthegehenheiten fiir 1784. Hande u. Spener. 
Berlin. 

85. Der hochdeutsche amerikanische Calender auf das Jahr 
1777. Germantown, Pa. 

86. Howard, A. The Beauties of Franklin. London, 1834. 



1/2 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

87. Hunter, R. Das Elend der neuen Welt. tJbersetzt von 
Siidekunn. Berlin, 1898. 

88a. James, Edmund J. The Nation. N. Y. 1895. 

J. 

88. Jacobi, Friedrich. V erhesserter Briefzvechsel. 3te Aufl. 

K. 

89. Kalm, Peter. Beschreibimg der Reise nach Nord- 
Amerika. Band 2. Gottingen, 1754. 

90. Kapp, Friedrich. Aus und iiber Amerika, Thatsachen 
und Erlehnisse. 2 Bde. Berlin, 1876. 

91. Kapp, Friedrich. Friedrich der Grosse und die Verei- 
nigten Staaten von Amerika. 

92. Karte. Brief e zwischen Gleim, Heinse und Johann von 
Miiller. Band i u. 2. Zurich, 1806. 

93. Kaufmann, Georg. Die Auffassung der dltesten deut- 
schen Geschichte. Leipzig, 1880. 

94. Kippis, Andrew. Sir John Pringle. Six Discourses. 
London, MDCCLXXXIIL 

95. Knortz, K. Geschichte der N ord-Amerikanischen Lit. 
Band i u. 2. Berlin, 1891. 

96. Knortz, K. Der Pessimissmus in der amerikanischen 
Litter atur. Braunschweig u. Wien, 1909. 

97. Koch, Max. Uher die Beziehung der engl. Lit. zur deut- 
schen im achtzehnten Jahrhundert. Leipzig, 1883. 

98. Kohler, J. T. Franklin's Nachrichten von Nord- 
Amerika (Sammlung neuer Reisebeschreibungen). Gottingen 
u. Gotha, 1 767- 1 769. 

99. Kohn, Max. Amerika im Spiegel deutscher Dichtung. 
Zeitgeist 32, und Lit. Echo, 7. 1905. 

100. Koppen, Fried. Vertraute Brief e Uber Bile her u. 
Welt. Leipzig, 1823. 

loi. Wochenhlatt No. 8, Page 64; Kleine lit. Riige. (Franz, 
iibersetzt von Franklin's Corresponded). 

102. Kriege, H. Der Vater unserer Republik. Heft i. 
New York, 1847. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 173 

103. Kreyfzig, F. Justus Moser. Berlin, 1857. 

104. Kronau, Ceroid Meyer von. Lehenserinnerungen von 
Ludzvig Meyer von Kronau. Frauenfeld, 1883. 

105. Kurz, Heinrich. Geschichtc dcr d. Lit. 4te Aufl. 4. 
Band. Leipzig, 1864- 1872. 

L. 

106. Lappenberg, J. M. Brief e von und an Klopstock. 
Braunschweig, 1867. 

107. Lafayette's Memoir en. Band i u. 2. New York. 

108. Learned, Marion D. Americana Gcrmanica, No. 3, 
1901. Philadelphia. No. 4. 1904. 

109. Lehmann, Oskar. Die deutschen moralistischen Wo- 
chenschriften als pedagogische IV ochenschriften. Leipzig, 1893. 

no. Leipzig er lit. Zeitung. 1833. 

111. Leipsiger Musenalmanack. 1 778. 

112. Leipsiger Tageblatt u. Anzeiger. 1836-1840. 

113. Lewis, C. L. Geschichte der Vereinigten Staaten. New 
York, 1884. 

114. Leyser, J. Joachim Heinrich Campe. Vols. 1-3. 
Braunschweig, 1877. 

115. Lichtenberg, Ludwig C. Vermischte Schriften. Wien, 
1817. 

116. Lit. Zodiacus. Berlin, Mai, 1835. (Justis Erich Boll- 
mann's Denkwiirdigkeiten von Varnhagen von Ense. ) 

117. Luzenberger, August von. Franklin oder Elektricitdt 
u. d. medizin. Wissenschaft u. Praxis. Leipzig, 1904. (Abhan- 
delungen a. d. Gebiete d. Elektrotherapie, No. 4. ) 

M. 

118. McMaster. Benjamin Franklin as a Man of Letters. 
Boston, 1895. 

119. Matthisson. Erinnerungen. Wien, 1845. 

120. Mauvillon. Gotha Gel. Zeit. 1783. 

121. Medill. A Typical American, Benjamin Franklin. 
1896. 



174 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

122. Meiner, C. Ilistorische Vergleichung der Sit fen u. 
Verfassung in der Gesetze u. Gewerbe. Hannover, 1794. 

123. Michaelis, Johann David. Ahhandlungen von den 
Schriften und Brief en. Gottingen, 1786. 

124. Menzel, W. Deutsche LiteraturgescJiichte. Gottin- 
gen, Hannover, 1836. 

125. Meusel, Johann Geor. Historische Littcratur. 10 
Stiick. S. 344. 1783. Erlangen. 

126. Mignet, F. A. Benjamin Franklin. Ubersetzt von 
Dr. Burckhardt. Leipzig, 1855. 

127. Milberg, Ernst. Die moralischcn Wochcnschriftcn des 
achtzehnten Jahrhunderts. Meissen, 1800. 

128. Mollenhauer, Karl. Anted an der VViederbclebiing des 
deutschen Geistes. {Program.) Braunschweig, 1896. 

129. Moritz, K. Ph. Anton Reiser. Berlin, 1786. Bd. HI. 

130. Moser, Justus. Deutsche Monatsschrift. I. Jahrgang 
(S. 303-312), 1873. 

131. Moser, Justus. Werke. Berlin, 1842- 1843. 

132. Moser, Johann Jacob. Nordamerika nach den Frie- 
densschliissen vom Jahre 178^. Band I-HI. Leipzig, 1783. 

133. Mossle, Johann. Franklins freier IVille, ein Wink fiir 
denkende Menschen iiber die Macht des Zufalls. Leipzig, 1787. 

134. Mundt, H. Journal fiir Zeit und Lebcnsivissenschaft 
und Kunst. (Literarischer Zodiacus, S. 360.) Mai, 1835, 

135. Musgrave, C. A. Die bevorst. Revolution in den Ver- 
einigten Staaten. Berlin, 1886. 

136. Milon, C. Denkzviirdigkeiten sur Geschichte Benja- 
min Franklins. St. Petersburg, 1793. 

137. Mittelberger. Reise nach Pennsylvanien. Stuttgart, 

1756. 

138. Miiller, Wilhelm. Aufwdrts, Biicherei zur Belehrung. 
N. 1. Benjamin Franklin. Frankfurt a. Main, 1910. 

139. Murray, J. Joseph II and Benjamin Franklin. Lon- 
don, 1787. 

140. Musenalmanach. Hamburg, 1782. 

141. Mustard, W. P. The Nation. The poetry in Poor 
Richard's Almanac. March 22, 1906. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 175 

N. 

142. Nab, R. L. Der Weg zum Reichtum. Berlin, 189 1. 

143. National Zeihmg. September 23, 1904. 

144. Neill, Ed. D. The Ideal Versus the Real Benjamin 
Franklin. St. Paul, Minn., 1890. 

145. Ncues hremisches Magazin. Band I-III (i 766-1 770). 

146. Nicolai, Fried. Briefe, die neueste Lit. betreffend. 
Band XXIV. Berlin, 1756- 1766. 

147. Nicolai, Fried. Allgemeine Deut. Bibliothek. Band 
39. Berlin, 1765. 

148. Nicolai, Fried. Sehaldus Notdanker. Berlin, 1774- 
1776. 

149. Nicolai, Fried. Justus Moser's Vermischte Schriften. 
Berlin, 1797. 

150. Nicolai, Fride. Berliner Monatssschrift. Juli, 1783. 

151. Niebuhr, G. B. Zeitalter der Revolution. Hamburg, 

1845- 

O. 

152. Oberholzer, Ellis Paxon. Literary History of Phila- 
delphia. Philadelphia, 1906. 

153. Oertel, Philip F. Benjamin Franklin, Lehenshild eines 
Ehrenmannes in Amerika. New York, 1868. 2te Aufl., Wies- 
baden, 1869. 

154. Oncken, W. Das Zeitalter Friedrich des Grossen. 
Bde. I u. 2. Berlin, 1881-1882. 

155. Opperman, H. A. Die Gottinger Gelehrten-Anzeigen 
wdhrend ihrer hundertjdhrigen Wirksamkeit. 1844. 

P. 

156. Parton, James. Life and Times of Benjamin Frank- 
lin. Vols. I and II. New York, 1864. 

157. Der Patriot, eine Wochenschrift. Hamburg, 1766. 

158. Pauli, Joachim. Buff on' s Naturgeschichte. Berlin, 
1771. 

1 59. Paulsen, F. Geschichte des gelehrten Unterrichts. 2te 
Aufl. Band 2. Leipzig, 1897. 

160. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. 
April^ 1903. P. 25, etc. 



176 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

161. Pepper, Wm. Medical Side of Benjamin Franklin. 
Philadelphia, 191 1. 

162. Phdnix. Samstag, 28. Februar, 1835. No. 51, p. 203. 
Frankfurt a/M. 

163. Polko, Elize. Musikalische Mdrchen, Phantasien und 
Skizzen. Leipzig, 1855. 

164. Potter, Israel. Fifty Years in Exile. London, 1855. 

P.43- 

165. Preusker, Carl B. Gutenberg u. Franklin. Leipzig, 

1840. 

166. Putter, Johann Stephan. Gelehrte Gesellschaft von 
Gottingen. i. Theil. Gottingen, 1 765-1 788. 

R. 

167. Ramsey, David. Geschichte der amerikanischen Revo- 
lution. Theile i u. 2. Berlin, 1794. 

168. Rauch, Alfred. Justus Moser, deutsch-evangelische 
Blatter. XVIL Halle, 1892. 

169. Remer, J. A. Amerikanisches Archiv. Band i. 
Braunschweig, '^777-T-77^- 

170. Rieger. Klinger in dem Sturm und Drang. Darm- 
stadt, 1880. 

171. Revue des deux Mondes. Juin, 1841. N. IL Phila- 
rete Chasles. 

172. Robins, Edward. Benjamin Franklin, American Men 
of Energy. 1898. 

173. Roscher. Die Geschichte der Nationalokonomie in 
Deutschland. Miinchen, 1874. 

174. Rosengarten, Joseph G. American History from Ger- 
man Archives. Lancaster, 1904. 

175. Rosenkranz, Karl. Studien zur Litteratur geschichte. 
Band 2. Leipzig, 1875. 

176. Ruge. Jahrbiicher. Niirnberg, 1842. 

177. Rupprecht, L. Justus Moser' s sociale und volkswirth- 
schaftliche Anschauungen in ihrem Verhdltnisse zur Theorie und 
Praxis. Stuttgart, 1892. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 177 

178. Ruprecht, Theodor. Leben und Schriften Benjamin 
Franklins. Leipzig, 1853. 

179. Russel, Wm. Geschichte von Amerika. Band 1-3. 
Leipzig, 1779. 

S. 

180. Sadi, Schich. Persisches Rosenthal. Wittenberg, 1775. 

181. Sadis, Julius. Bibliothek des Imperialismus. Leipzig, 
1908. 

182. Sainte-Beuve. Causeries de Lundi. No. 7. 

183. Santon, J. Denkzvilrdige Gesprdche zwischen Franklin 
und Washington. Konigsberg, 181 5. 

184. Sauer, A. Deutsche National Litteratur. Band 3. 

185. Sauer, A. Deutsche National Litteratur. Band 80. 

186. Sauer, A. Evald v. Kleist. Werke. Berlin, 1881-1882. 

187. Schafer. Geschichte und Kultur geschichte. S. 38. 
Jena, 1891. 

188. Schaumkell, E. Geschichte der deutschen Kidturge- 
schichtsschreibung. Leipzig, 1905. 

189. Schiller, Johann Friedrich. Geschichte von Amerika. 
Aus dem Englischen von W. Robertson. Leipzig, 1771. 

190. Schlichtegroll, Friedrich. Nekrolog auf das Jahr 
1790. S. 262-264. Gotha, 1 791. 

191. Schlosser. Geschichte des achtzehnten Jahrhunderts. 
Band 1-4. 1864, 

192. Schlozer, August L. Kleine Kronik von Leipzig. 
Leipzig, 1776. 

193. Schlozer, August. L. Neue Erdbeschreibung von ganc 
Amerika, nebst einem Anhang von fiinf Welttheilen. Aus deni 
Englischen von D. Femming und G. Collyer. Leipzig, 1777. 

194. Schlozer, August L. Briefwechsel. Band i und 2. 
Gottingen, 1776. 

195. Schmidt, Ernst R. Abriss der englischen und ameri- 
kanischen Litteratur. Philadelphia, 1894. 

196. Schmidt, Erich. Lcnz und Klinger. Berlin, 1878. 

197. Schmidt, Ferd. Benjamin Franklin s Leben. Jugend- 
bibliothek. No. 37. 1903-1906. 

198. Schmidt, Julian. Geschichte des geistigen Lebens in 
Deutschland. Band 2. Leipzig, 1864. 



178 Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

199. Schmohl, J. C. Uber N ord-Amerika tind Dcmokratic. 
Copenhagen, 1782. 

200. Schonbach, Anton E. Gesammelte Aufsdtze. Graz, 
1900. 

201. Schonfeld, H. Die deutschen Beziehungen nu den Ver- 
einigten Staaten. Washington Deutsche Gesellschaft. 

202. Schi'iddekopf, Carl. Justus Moscr iiber die deutschc 
Sprache und Litteratur. Berlin, 1902. 

203. Schumann. Leitfaden zum Studium dcr Litteratur der 
Vereigten Staaten von Amerika. Giessen, 1905. 

204. Schwegel, H. Neue deutsche Litteratur. Wien, 1904. 

205. Seidel. Die Staatsverfassung der Vereinigten Staaten 
von N ord-Amerika. S. 387 ff. Berlin, 1795. 

206. Seuffert, B. Deutsche Litteraturdenkmiiler des acht- 
cehnten Jahrhunderts. Frankfurter Gelehrte-Anacigcr z'oiu 
Jahre 1172. Heilbronn, 1881. 

207. Short, Bob. Ben Franklin s Poor Richard. London, 
1814. 

208. Smith, Adam. An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes 
of the Wealth of Nations. 1776. 

209. Smyth, Albert H. Benjamin Franklin. Vols. i-io. 
1906. 

210. Sparks. Benjamin Franklin. London, 1850. 

211. Sprengel, M. C. Geschichte der Revolution von Nord- 
Amerika. Speier, 1785. 

212. Sprengel, M. C. Grundrisse der Staatcnkunde der 
vornehmsten europaischen Reiche. Halle, 1793. 

213. Stevens, Henry. Benjamin Franklin. 1881. 

214. Suphan, Bernard. Herder. Berlin, 1887. 

215. Swift, Lindsay. Benjamin Franklin. Boston, 1883. 

T. 

216. Taschenbuch fiir Denker und Denkerinnen. 1799. 

217. Tyler, M. Literary History of American Revolution. 
Vol. H. P. 376 ff. New York, 1897. 

V. 

218. Vagrants Vagaries, by Haslewood. London, 1805. 



Benjamin Franklin and Germany 179 

219. Venedey, J. Benjamin Franklin. Freiburg und Breis- 
gau, 1862. 

220. Viereck, Ludwig. Zwei Jahrhunderte deutschen Un- 
tcrrichts in den Vereinigten Staaten. Braunschweig, 1903. 

W. 

221. Wagner, Rudolph. Samuel Thomas Sommering. 
Leipzig, 1844. 

222. Walz, John A. American Revolution and German 
Literature. Modern Language Notes. Bahimore, 1901. 

223. Warner, C. D. American Men of Letters, Benjamin 
Franklin. 1 88 1 . 

224. Weber, Georg. Friedrich Chr. Schosser. Leipzig, 
1876, 

225. Wegele. Geschichte der deutschen Historieographie. 
Miinchen und Leipzig, 1885. 

226. Weld, H. Hastings. Benjamin Franklin, Autobiog- 
raphy, Public Life and Services. New York, 1889. 

227. Weems, M. L. Life of Franklin. 1835. 

228. Wenck, Waldemar. Deutschland vor hundert Jahren. 
Band i. Leipzig, 1887. 

229. Wentzel. Benjamin Franklin's Werkc: Dresden, 1780. 

230. Wetzel, W. F. Benjamin Franklin as an Economist. 
(No. 9, Historical and Political Science Studies.) Johns Hop- 
kins University, 

231. Wesley, John. Einige Anmerkungen iiber Nord- 
Amerika. Helmstedt, 1777. 

232. Wiese, J. Manner des Erfolgs. Benjamin Franklin. 
Stuttgart, 1909. 

233. Wiesner, J. Jan Ingen-Housz, sein Leben und seine 
Werke. Wien, 1905. 

234. Wilcke, J. C. Brief e i'lber Elcktricitdt. Leipzig, 1758. 

235. Winkler, Johann Heinrich. Uber Luftelektricitdt. 
1895-1898. 

236. Winthrop, R. C. Washington and Franklin from 
Occasional Addresses. 1876. 

237. Wiilker, Richard. Geschichte der englischen Littera- 
tur. Leipzig, 1907. 



i8o Benjamin Franklin and Germany 

238. Wuttke, Heinrich. Die deutschcn Zeitschriften imd 
das Ausland. Leipzig, 1875. 

239. Wurzbach, Wolfgang v. Gustav A. Bilrger, Sammt- 
liche Werke. Leipzig, 1902. 4 Bande. 

Z. 

240. Zehnder, Josephine. Pestaoszi. Vols, i and 2. 
Gotha, 1875. 

241. Zeitschrift fiir Bilcherfreunde. (Biirfier's Franklin, 
1793.) Berlin, 1905. 

242. Zeitschrift fiir dtutsche Kulturgeschichte. Niirnberg, 
1858. 

243. Zimmermann, Johann Georg. Uber die Einsamkeit. 
Bd. II, S. 36. Leipzig, 1784. 

244. Zimmermann, G. A. Deutschtum in Amerika. Bci- 
trdge zur Gcschichte der deutsch-amerikaniscJien Litteratnr. 
Chicago, 1894. 



AMERICANA GERMANICA 

Monograph Series, 

1. Translations of German Poetry in American Magazines 1741-1810. 

By Edward Ziegler Davis, Ph. D. 234 pp. Price $1.65 

2. The Harmony Society. A Chapter in German American Culture 

History. By John Archibald Bole, Ph. D. 179 pp. 30 Illustra- 
tions. Price $1.50 

3. Friedrich Schiller in America. A Contribution to the Literature of 

the Poet's Centenary, 1905. By Ellwood Comly Parry, Ph. D. 

117 pp. Price $125 

4. The Influence of Salomon Gessner upon English Literature. By 

Bertha Reed. 119 pp. Price $1.25 

5. The German Settlement Society of Philadelphia and Its Colony, 

Hermann, Missouri. By William G. Bek. 193 pp. Price $1.50 

6. Philipp Waldeck's Diary of the American Revolution. With Intro- 

duction and Photographic Reproductions. By M. D. Learned. 

168 pp. Price $1 .50 

7. Schwenkf elder Hymnology and the Sources of the First Schwenk- 

f elder Hymn-Book Printed in America. With Photographic 
Reproductions. By Allen Anders Seipt, Ph.D. 112 pp. Price.. $2.00 

8. The Settlement of the German Coast of Louisiana and the Creoles 

of German Descent. By J. Hanno Deiler. With Illustrations. 

136 pp. Price $1.25 

9. Early German Music in Philadelphia. By R. R. Drummond, Ph. D. 

112 pp. Price $1-25 

10. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in Germany. By Grace Edith MacLean, Ph. D. 

102 pp. Price $i-5o 

11. The Germans in Texas. A Study in Immigration. By Gilbert 

Giddings Benjamin, Ph. D. 161 pp. 3 Illustrations. Price $i.So 

12. The American Ethnographical Survey. Conestoga Expedition. M. 

D. Learned, Director $2.00 

13. Swedish Settlements on the Delaware 1638-1664. With 6 Maps and 

150 Illustrations and Photographic Reproductions. By Amandus 
Johnson, Ph. D. Two volumes. 908 pp. Price $10.00 

14. National Unity in the German Novel Before 18/O. By Roy H. 

Perring, Ph. D. 75 pp. Price $1.25 

15. Journal of Du Roi the Elder, Lieutenant and Adjutant in the Service 

of the Duke of Brunswick, 1 776-1 778. Translated by Charlotte 

S. J. Epping. 189 pp. Price $1.50 

16. The Life and Works of Friedrich Armand Strubberg. By Preston 

A. Barba, Ph. D. 151 pp. 4 Illustrations. Price $2.00 

17. Baldwin Mollhausen, the German Cooper. By Preston A. Barba, 

Ph.D. 188 pp. 4 Illustrations. Price $2.00 

18. Beliefs and Superstitions of the Pennsylvania Germans. By Edwin 

M. Fogel, Ph. D. 386 pp. Price $3-50 

19. Dickens' Einfluss auf Ungern-Sternberg, Hesslein, Stolle, Raabe 

und Ebner-Eschenbach. By J. Theodor Geissendoerfer, Ph. D. 

51 pp. Price $1.00 

20. Whittier's Relation to German Life and Thought. By lola Kay 

Eastburn, Ph. D. 161 pp. Price $2.00 

21. Benjamin Franklin and Germany. By Beatrice Marguerite Victory, 

Ph. D. 180 pp. Price $2.00 



AMERICANA GERMANICA 



MONOGRAPHS DEVOTED TO THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE" 

Literary, Linguistic and Otlier Cultural Relations of 
Germany and America 



EDITOR 

MARION DEXTER LEARNED 

University of Pennsylvania 



CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 

H. C. G. Brandt J. T. Hatfield 

W. H. Carruth W. T. Hewett 

Hermann Collitz A. R. Hohlfeld 

Starr W. Cutting Hugo K. Schilling 

Daniel K. Dodge H. Schmidt-Wartenberg 

A. B. Faust Hermann Schoenfeld 

KuNO Francke Calvin Thomas 

Adolph Gerber H. S. White 

Julius Goebel Henry Wood 



PUBLICATIONS OF THE 

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 



NEW YORK 

D. APPLETON & COMPANY 

publishing agents 



yi\ 










o_ 






-^^^ ^^^^^' y'^o '^J J'\'^:' .A- ' 

^_ ^^ A^ ..^^fe^^ ^ 

"' <^ A*5 " 

C,yf ~ 





^ 



